The Gambia News

Sunshine with Smiles

Tessa Webber - Hampshire Society + Wiltshire Society Magazines — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Leaving the rain-soaked shores of England behind her, Tessa Webber headed due south for The Gambia, Africa's smiling coast, and found warmth that came from more than the sun

Natural Charm

Tessa Webber - Southern Daily Echo - Seven Days — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tessa Webber shook herself free of the freezing temperatures in England and found plenty to warm the heart in The Gambia

Back to School

Glen Mutel - ABTA Magazine — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Glen Mutel heads into rural Gambia and gets a warm welcome from the locals and their children.

Explore The Gambia for that winter sun

Rory McKeown - The Portsmouth News - Weekend Travel — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Holidaymakers searching for that much needed winter sun should take a good look at The Gambia. The first thing that hits you when you step off the plane in Banjul, the West African nation’s capital, is the heat. It’s not an uncomfortable or stifling sensation, but glowing warmth that gives you a broad smile. It’s a smile that is on the face of every Gambian you meet and sets the mood for the rest of your magical trip.
Holidaymakers or adventurers can hop on a plane for a relatively short amount of time to step into a country that offers so much. I visited The Gambia in November and to escape the wind and rain of the UK for West Africa’s glorious sunshine and perfect heat was almost too much to comprehend.
Most people wouldn’t put The Gambia high up on their holiday destinations list, but it really is a country that caters for families, couples and those with an adventurous side.
I travelled with the Fareham-based tour firm The Gambia Experience – a branch of Serenity Holidays which specialises in holidays to The Gambia. We were treated to an insight into the various hotels The Gambia has to offer.
My accommodation, the Kombo Beach hotel, is a popular mid-range hotel situated in the Kotu resort and overlooks the stunning Kotu beach. It’s ideal for families, with outdoor activities and traditional entertainment. For those with a desire to be at one with nature, the Mandina lodges in the picturesque Makasutu cultural forest is the place for you. Its lodges are located in a sprawling forest haven that’s perfect for couples or those seeking a honeymoon destination. The Coco Ocean Resort and Spa in Bijilo is The Gambia’s bit of luxury. Boasting a spa and treatment rooms, it offers restaurants specialising in cuisines of the world and stunning architecture. Perhaps the standout for me was the Ngala Lodge, an intimate boutique hotel situated between the Bakau and Fajara resorts. Boasting a special atmosphere, it’s child-free and is ideal for honeymooners.
The Gambia is not just about its thriving resorts. Our group was able to explore the heart of The Gambia thanks to West African Tours and our tour guide Mucki. The excursions can be booked through The Gambia Experience’s hotel reps. I urge anyone to pay a visit to one of the local schools. It is guaranteed to be one of the most emotional experiences you are likely to encounter on your trip. Mucki took us to the Mansa Colley Bojang Nursery School, which has been built thanks to a hard working community, committed to giving its youngsters the prospects of a bright future. We were greeted by the smiling children and teachers, who treated us to singing and dancing. Their beaming smiles
and inquisitive natures will stay with you long after your visit, and make sure you come equipped with much-needed pens, pencils and exercise books.
Those wanting to relax and unwind should check out the lazy day river trip across the River Gambia in a Gambian style river pirogue. Other highlights included the visit to the huge Makasutu cultural forest and the4x4 trip to the village of Kubuneh, which has been transformed by a cultural street art project. It may not be the most obvious destination for many holiday makers, but The Gambia provides warmth in the winter months.
Rory McKeown was a guest of The Gambia Experience, a branch of the Fareham-based firm Serenity Holidays. He stayed at the Kombo Beach hotel, which is part of their mid-range collection. Holidays are from £499 per person for seven nights. Price includes flights from Gatwick, inflight meals and taxes. Excursions can be booked with West African Tours through The Gambia Experience’s hotel reps.

Smile - it's The Gambia

Nick Elvin - Locate Magazine (Jan-Mar issue) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia's reputation for friendly people, excellent beaches and diverse wildlife is well-deserved, as Nick Elvin discovers

Uncovering Gambia

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

"Gambia is a country full of surprises. Tony Kane escapes to this little paradise in West Africa."

Smiling in The Gambia

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If the grey skies and frosty temperatures of home are getting you down, then The Smiling Coast of Africa might just be your perfect tonic.

Winning Projects Announced to receive Flights & Funds Donation

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter (2012/13), specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience chose to donate funds and flights* to UK and Gambian-originating charitable and sustainable projects making a positive difference within The Gambia.

The Gambia Experience notified the winners of the total £25,000 funds allocation on Monday 14 January, a list of which can be viewed here and which includes UK and Gambian-based organisations. www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations

The winners each submitted a short application form outlining their requirement for the donation which were considered in turn by a judging panel brought together by The Gambia Experience. Dick Sisman, sustainable tourism advisor acted as chair and was joined by The Gambia Experience staff, Chris Rowles, managing director; Katie Bushnell, sustainable tourism manager; and Joyce Stavroulakis, resort manager; as well as Derek Moore, chairman of AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators).

Dick Sisman said:
“I was delighted to chair the judging panel and was heartened that The Gambia Experience received near 60 applications for the funds. The diversity of good works being undertaken by organisations and charities of all sizes in The Gambia is impressive. These range from projects to develop educational facilities; medical programmes; social and wellbeing projects for persons of all ages – not just children; and projects linked to the health and safety of humans and animals.

We would have liked to help all of the project proposals, but had to make a choice which we felt were representative of all aspects of life and topics in The Gambia. In the main these are projects which do not have other and larger sources of support and where we know that the money we can allocate will make a big difference in the development and delivery of good causes.”

The complimentary flight seats donation totalling £25,000 were selected at random during two draws; one of which took place in October 2012, the second of which took place on Monday 14 January alongside the allocation of the funds. The flight seats are aboard The Gambia Experience London Gatwick – Banjul (or reverse route) charter flight with Monarch. To see a summary of these winners see the same link www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations

Accredited with the maximum rating of 5* Sustainable Tourism status by AITO, The Gambia Experience operates its own School Development Fund and collaborates on Carbon Offset Tree Planting and Alternative Fuel Stove schemes.

Winter Warmer

Rory McKeown - Guide2 Magazine — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia is a perfect destination for people looking to unwind at a resort while embracing the vast culture the country has to offer, reports Rory McKeown.

Experiencing The Gambia

Tony Kane - Time and Leisure Magazine (Clapham, Battersea & Fulham) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tony Kane visits an art retreat at a floating paradise in the Gambian jungle.

Take A Wild Ride In Gorgeous Gambia

Andrea Collitt - Colchester Gazette — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Andrea Collitt is charmed during a stay in warm and welcoming The Gambia, where she experienced the country's culture - and plenty of its food.

Gambia is more than just sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

"It's the quickest and probably the cheapest place to get to if you are searching for hot winter sun and it offers a holiday which could change your life." Derek James reports from The Gambia.

An African adventure

Ben Wilkinson - Oxford Mail — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ben Wilkinson discovers time stands still in The Gambia's 'Smiling Coast'.

An African Adventure

Ben Wilkinson - Oxford Mail — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ben Wilkinson discovers times stands still in The Gambia's 'smiling coast'

Resort Party celebrates 25 Year Anniversary

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter, specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience hosted a cocktail party in The Gambia on Saturday 24 November.

Approximately 150 guests attended the event which took place at the Kairaba Hotel in Kololi. Hoteliers, suppliers and customers were amongst those invited to mark this special celebration alongside host The Gambia Experience, which has remained the UK’s leading tour operator to The Gambia since 1987.

The Gambia Experience managing director, Chris Rowles made a speech thanking those attending for supporting The Gambia Experience during the last 25 years. Future successful UK tourism to The Gambia was also toasted.

A raffle was organised by The Gambia Experience Resort Office with five winners being presented with return flight seats from Banjul (The Gambia) to London Gatwick with Monarch Airlines (The Gambia Experience charter flight).

The Gambia Experience was delighted to be personally thanked by the Gambia Hotel Association, being awarded its very own wooden plaque of recognition on behalf of the association’s 30 members.

Chris Rowles comments:
“This was an excellent opportunity to thank all the many partners who have been so supportive over the years, and also to recognize what a special destination, with such welcoming people, The Gambia is. We look forward to the next 25 years of operating year round to The Gambia.”

For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/25years

What's New in The Gambia this Winter, plus Early Booking Offers

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrating its 25 Year Anniversary of providing holidays and flights to The Gambia this winter, leading tour operator The Gambia Experience is offering a selection of Winter Sun Offers with savings of up to £190pp on holidays in November and December 2012, valid if booked by 30 September 2012.

Sample offers include £150pp discounts on 7 or 14 night all-inclusive stays at the 4 grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel and up to £190pp discounts on 3, 4 or 7 night stays at the award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu. For more on this season’s Early Booking Offers click on www.gambia.co.uk/earlybookingoffers

The Gambia Experience continues to be The Gambia specialist chartering year-round flights from London Gatwick to Banjul with Monarch and offering the widest choice of accommodation, plus tours and cruises – many of which are exclusive to its programme. The tour operator reports that year on year Winter 12/13 bookings are up by 53%.

For more on how The Gambia Experience has evolved since its launch in 1987, the changing faces of its brochure, as well as comment from managing director, Chris Rowles visit www.gambia.co.uk/25years

Highlights of the new November 2012 – October 2013 brochure, incorporating sister travel company The Senegal Experience, include:

NEW: Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
www.gambia.co.uk/chimpcamp
The Gambia Experience is pleased to welcome back the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project into its ‘Unique Collection’ as from Winter 2012/13. Almost 100 chimpanzees are to be found on Baboon Islands, a group of three islets set within the River Gambia National Park, located inland from the coastal resorts. The Gambia Experience suggests combining a short stay upriver at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project with another property within its collection.

NEW: Senegal Tours from The Gambia
www.senegal.co.uk/tours
New for this winter is the chance to add a 3, 5 or 7 night private tour to Senegal to any hotel stay in The Gambia. There is a choice of tours taking in various sights including the Lompoul Desert, the colonial city of Saint-Louis, the Pink Lake, the fishermen at Kayar, Bandia Nature Reserve, Dindéfélo waterfall, Dakar and Gorée Island.

NEW Hotels offering All-Inclusive Holidays
www.gambia.co.uk/all-inclusive
All-inclusive holidays are now more popular than ever in The Gambia and Senegal so this year The Gambia Experience presents more hotels that offer this board basis. The 4 grade Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel and 2 grade Palma Rima Hotel are now based on all-inclusive, with B&B or Half Board options also available, plus the 4 grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel continues as an all-inclusive hotel. The Ocean Bay, Kombo Beach and Kairaba Beach hotels all offer a choice of dining packages. In Senegal the 4 grade Royal Decameron Baobab Resort in La Somone also offers all-inclusive in a prime location beside a beach and lagoon.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours
www.gambia.co.uk/chrispackham
TV presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With limited places on the trips, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife. Tour supplements start from £425 per person. Additional birdwatching tours, from £195pp, can be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

NEW: Sport Fishing in The Gambia
www.gambia.co.uk/fishing
This winter new sport fishing boats will be based in The Gambia. These well-equipped boats will open up new offshore, wreck and river fishing opportunities with marlin, shark, sailfish, dorado and tuna being just a few of the species available. Tarpon fishing in the waters close to Sitanunku Lodge on the north bank – part of The Gambia Experience Unique Collection – will also be possible.

Donating £50,000 to good causes
www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations
To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter, The Gambia Experience is donating £25,000 worth of flights (excluding taxes) and £25,000 worth of funds to UK and Gambian-originating charitable and sustainable projects making a positive difference within The Gambia.
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5* Sustainable Tourism status from AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) having founded its own School Development Fund in 1989 and for its on-going collaboration with carbon offset schemes.

This winter (2012/13) 7 night holidays to The Gambia start from £499 per person; to Senegal from £843pp, both including flights (with inflight meals & 20kg and 46kg luggage allowance respectively) and transfers. The Gambia Experience is also offering 11 night holidays for the price of 10 (saving up to £98pp) throughout the winter, valid if booking an 11 night single centre 2, 3 or 4 grade hotel with flights from Gatwick or Manchester.

The Gambia Experience product manager Karen Durham said:
“We are delighted to be celebrating our 25th year of providing holidays to The Gambia and donating £50,000 to good causes there. It has been a positive last 12 months with two of our featured properties receiving a National Order of The Gambia and TripAdvisor Award for Excellence. We have every confidence that this winter will be as, if not more, fruitful.”

For more information on holidays to The Gambia and Senegal, visit The Gambia Experience at www.gambia.co.uk or The Senegal Experience at www.senegal.co.uk
Alternatively call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or The Senegal Experience Reservations Department on 0845 338 8706.

Winter Multi-Centre: 10 Nights 'River Lodges'

Newsdesk - 101 Holidays Blog — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fancy staying on site at a Chimpanzee rehabilitation project…? You can do exactly that in The Gambia this winter – a stay at ChimpCamp is part of a new 10-night multi-centre holiday from The Gambia Experience.

The holiday includes 3 nights at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu, on the banks of the River Gambia, where you can canoe along the river or head to the Makasutu Forest to spot baboons, monkeys and birds.

There are 3 nights at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project in the River Gambia National Park where you can spend time with the chimps and also see hippos and other wildlife.

The last 4 nights are at Sitanunku Lodge from where you can take day trips in neighbouring Senegal or travel upriver to the former slave trade post of Albreda.

The price, from £1,899pp, includes return flights from Gatwick, transfers and half-board accommodation (full board at ChimpCamp). Add on a further 4 nights at Ngala Lodge, a former colonial mansion, for an extra £268pp B&B.

Find out more from The Gambia Experience.

Who's a pwetty boy then?

Tony Cross - Conde Nast Traveller Online — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While David Attenborough may have brought the natural world into our living rooms, the BBC's Springwatch series has been about encouraging us to get closer to the nature around us, away from the TV and into gardens, local parks or the countryside.

The show's most popular presenter, Chris Packham, is famous for his quirky style, a love of indie music, and an instantly recognizable lisp. He fails to hide an inner mischievous schoolboy, the kind who would play truant to go hunting for grass snakes. But birds are Packham's first love, and his alternative demeanor belies the serious naturalist who is Vice-President of the RSPB, President of the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and acclaimed for his studies of kestrels in the UK.

It is then a real opportunity to spend time with Packham as he leads his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With a maximum of 17 places on each trip, it's a genuine chance to learn from his extensive knowledge of wildlife. Those looking to improve their photography skills should also note that Packham is an expert photographer.

'I've lost count of how many times I've been to The Gambia, but I know it's more than 15 - and I still think of it as one of the best birding destinations anywhere in the world,' says Packham in his introduction to the trips, who highlights the area's people, safety and of course wildlife as the reasons why Gambia is his favourite place to visit.

There are two three-day tours that can be booked separately or together. You can get a taste of what to expect from this blog from an earlier tour in 2009, or by visiting The Gambia Experience website. The 2013 itineraries include exploring the Abuko nature reserve, walking tours of the Kotu stream, and a boat trip, enabling you to see water birds and the added bonus of an occasional dolphin.

If you're wondering what the bird is in our picture, it's the African Grey Hornbill, and it could be one you see on the tour, as well as Bearded Barbets, Laughing Doves, Senegal Thick-Knees and Spur Winged Plovers, to name but a few. If you can't make the dates with Packham, additional bird-watching tours can also be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso - Packham's local guide of choice.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours are available as a supplement from £425 per person in addition to your hotel and flight costs. The birdwatching trip will run from 15th February 2013, now with a second departure on 22nd February 2013. For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/chrispackham

NEW: The Gambia Experience Brochure 2012/13

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Gambia Experience launches its November 2012 – October 2013 brochure this month. The brochure again incorporates sister company The Senegal Experience due to increasing interest in multi-centre holidays.

This is the 25th Year Anniversary for The Gambia Experience, which has been providing holidays to The Gambia since 1987 and remains the country specialist. The Gambia Experience charters year-round flights from London Gatwick - Banjul with Monarch and offers the widest choice of accommodation, plus tours and cruises – many of which are exclusive to its programme.

Within its new brochure, The Gambia Experience announces how the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu – part of its Unique Collection – have been presented with The National Order of The Gambia, recognising their outstanding services to the country. The tour operator is also keen to add that since the brochure went to press, Ngala Lodge – as featured within its Luxury Collection – has received the Trip Advisor Award for Excellence.

Additional highlights of the new brochure include:

Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
The Gambia Experience is pleased to welcome back the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project into its Unique Collection as from Winter 2012/13. Established in 1979, this is Africa’s longest running project of this kind. Almost 100 chimpanzees are to be found on Baboon Islands, a group of three islets set within the River Gambia National Park, located approximately 270km inland from the coastal resorts.
Accommodation at the Project takes the form of four twin-bedded, eco-friendly safari tents set on elevated platforms high above the riverbank, offering captivating views across Baboon Islands.
As a working project with conservation as a first priority, the camp offers boat trips with expert guides as a way to view the chimpanzees in their natural habitat (as opposed to accessing the islands on foot).
Other wildlife may also be spotted such as Red Colobus and Green Vervet monkeys, Western baboons, hippos, crocodiles, as well as a vast array of birds. The Gambia Experience suggests combining a two or three night stay upriver at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project with another property within its Unique Collection.

All-Inclusive Holidays
Since being introduced in recent years, all-inclusive holidays in The Gambia have been well received, as demonstrated by the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel. As a result, The Gambia Experience has chosen to price two more of its hotels - the 4* Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel and 2* Palma Rima Hotel - on an all-inclusive basis within its new brochure (although B&B and HB options are still available at these two hotels). In addition to usual board choices a selection of hotels in The Gambia also offer a variety of ‘dining packages’. The all-inclusive hotel option in Senegal is the 4* Royal Decameron Baobab Resort, perfectly positioned between a white sand beach and the lagoon of La Somone.

Senegal Tours from The Gambia
New for this winter is the chance to add a three, five or seven night private tour to Senegal to any hotel stay in The Gambia. There is a choice of tours taking in various sights including the Lompoul desert, the colonial city of Saint-Louis, the Pink Lake at Kayar, Bandia Nature Reserve, Dindéfélo waterfall, Dakar and Gorée Island.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With a maximum of 17 places on the trips, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tours break down into two three-day itineraries (coastal / Makasutu Forest), available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £425 per person. Additional birdwatching tours, from £195 per person, can be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Sport Fishing in The Gambia
This winter new sport fishing boats will be based in The Gambia at Sitanunku Lodge - as featured in The Gambia Experience Unique Collection - on the North Bank of the River Gambia.
The new boats will open up new offshore fishing opportunities, as well as river and coastal fishing with marlin, shark, sailfish, dorado, tuna and tarpon being just a few of the species available in the waters surrounding Dog Island. The Gambia Experience holidaymakers staying at other coastal hotels can also arrange day trips aboard the boats.

Lamantin Beach Hotel, Saly
Offering a private white sand beach, marina, spa, and renowned for its gourmet cuisine, the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel in Senegal has long been considered the most luxurious hotel in Saly.
Closed for major refurbishment last year, the hotel re-opened at the end of 2011 with a new Beach Club complete with à la carte restaurant, fitness centre, and floodlit tennis courts.

Sustainable Tourism
The Gambia Experience maintains its 5 star AITO Sustainable Tourism status and in the coming twelve months aims to raise £10,000 for its School Development Fund (in the last year it has raised over £8,000). During 2011, The Gambia Experience – in conjunction with sustainable tourism advisor and friend of The Gambia, Dick Sisman - introduced its Carbon Offset Stove Scheme, whereby for the cost of £20 a new environmentally-friendly stove can be donated to a Gambian family. The Gambia Experience is currently exploring new initiatives within resort to mark its 25th Year Anniversary.

Early Booking Offers
This winter (2012/13) 7 night holidays to The Gambia start from £549 per person; to Senegal from £918pp, both including flights (with inflight meals & 20kg and 46kg luggage allowance respectively) and transfers. The tour operator is offering a selection of Early Booking Offers for travel this winter, valid if booked by 31 July 2012. These include savings of up to £150pp in The Gambia and up to £200pp in Senegal. As part of its 25 years celebration, The Gambia Experience is also running a prize draw, whereby if a customer’s holiday is booked by 31 July, they are then entered into a draw to win their holiday for free.

For more information on holidays to The Gambia and Senegal, visit The Gambia Experience at www.gambia.co.uk or The Senegal Experience at www.senegal.co.uk Or call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or The Senegal Experience Reservations Department on 0845 338 8706.

The Mandina Lodges awarded The National Order of The Gambia

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu is delighted to have been presented with The National Order of The Gambia award from the President of The Gambia on Saturday 28 April 2012. The ceremony took place at the July 22nd Square in Banjul with the Gambian leader and vice president conferring the accolade in the form of a medal.

There were three categories of awards, each of which recognized the meritorious and outstanding services of a person, institution or group to The Gambia.

The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu was founded in 1992 by Lawrence Williams and James English, both from the UK. Since then Makasutu has become a beacon for sustainable tourism in The Gambia, going on to win green awards, collaborate with the Eden Project, and host international artists during an annual Wide Open Walls event.

The Gambia Experience features the Mandina Lodges within its designated Unique Collection.
This May, 7-night holidays at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu starts from £999 per person, based on half board accommodation in a Jungle Lodge and including flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers.

For more information, call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk/mandina

For the official Mandina Lodges website visit www.mandinalodges.co.uk

May Travel Offers to The Gambia

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

BOUTIQUE
NGALA LODGE www.gambia.co.uk/ngala
The Gambia Experience is offering 7 nights at Ngala Lodge from £649 per person, valid for departure on 08 May, and resulting in a saving of £195 per person from brochure price. This offer is based on two sharing a suite with breakfast, and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Banjul with Monarch airlines, taxes and transfers. Extra Leg Room Flight Seats are included free of charge, subject to availability. Suite upgrades can also be quoted.

Ngala Lodge - an 18 suite hotel, formerly a colonial mansion - enjoys a magnificent cliff-top position with ocean views and is situated between the resorts of Bakau and Fajara. The atmosphere at Ngala Lodge, which is a child-free property, is both tranquil and romantic. The hotel’s restaurant is arguably one of the best in The Gambia.

ALL-INCLUSIVE
THE SHERATON GAMBIA www.gambia.co.uk/sheraton
The Gambia Experience is offering 7 nights at the 4-grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel – a beachfront hotel now extremely popular as an all-inclusive hotel in The Gambia - from £869 per person, valid for departure on 15 May, and resulting in a saving of £124pp from brochure price. This price is based on two sharing a Standard Baobab Room on an all-inclusive basis and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Banjul with Monarch airlines, taxes and transfers. Room Upgrades and extra legroom flight seats can be quoted – subject to availability.

Built into the hillside and nestled between giant baobab trees, the hotel comes complete with an infinity swimming pool, small spa and fitness room. Poolside themed dinners are a weekly feature.

Kombo Beach Hotel receives 3rd Travelife Gold Award

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kombo Beach Hotel in The Gambia has again been awarded a Travelife Gold Award for its commitment to sustainable tourism. This is an impressive accolade for the 4* hotel in the Kotu region, as it is the only hotel both in The Gambia and West Africa in general, to be presented with Travelife accreditation for a 3rd consecutive time.

The award firstly recognises the hotel’s dedication to the ‘Environment’ – Kombo Beach implemented such procedures as water saving measures and use of electricity reduction by making use of solar energy sources and is supported in these efforts by a Green Team comprising of staff from the various departments. Secondly, it considers the extent of the hotel’s ‘Social Responsibilities’ – Kombo Beach ensures that most supplies are sourced locally and are involved in supporting the local communities.

The Travelife awards are recognized by the FTO (British Federation of Tour Operators), ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents), ANVR (Dutch Federation of Tour Operators), FAR (Forum Anders Reisen Germany) and several Belgium Federations of Tour Operators and Travel Agents. Hotels are visited by a qualified independent Travelife auditor in order to have the information that the hotel provides is verified.

Marc Van Maldegem, general manager for Kombo Beach Hotel said:
“For many years we have been passionate about implementing environmental and social management strategies and we believe we are the front runner within The Gambia. After our focus on water and energy reduction, we have recently also started initiatives, with the help of our Green Team, to reduce our waste production and find more ways of recycling, using local enterprises. Our management is based on respect for local and ethical values, for people and for living together in harmony.”

The Gambia is a popular destination with UK holidaymakers, and Kombo Beach Hotel reports that approximately 60% of its guests come from the UK. Tour operators selling Kombo Beach Hotel include The Gambia Experience.

For more on the Travelife awards and hotels within the Travelife Collection, please visit www.travelifecollection.com
For more on Kombo Beach Hotel and its Sustainable Tourism Summary, please visit http://www.kombobeachhotel.gm/Docs/Sustainable-Tourism/Default.aspx

Luxurious setting that will put a smile on your face

Kevin Walker - Surrey Times — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kevin Walker takes a gamble on a holiday in the Gambia that pays off with the sights, smells and smiles of Africa, which makes his first trip such a memorable experience.
Anyone sailing along the 50 miles of Atlantic coastline that is Gambia could be forgiven for rechecking their compass and thinking they were severely off course after seeing the Moroccan inspired architecture of Coco Ocean Resort & Spa. Always an avid fan of the Caribbean, I had reset my compass and headed for the Gambia arriving at Coco Ocean Resort, which rose from nothing and incongruously sits proud on the West African shores. Built in true Moorish style by the Moroccan owner, Farid, with the utmost attention to detail, it is now regarded the most luxurious hotel in the Gambia. All set within five acres of lush jasmine-scented gardens which face the thundering Atlantic Ocean, it’s a resort that never feels crowded and has been the discreet choice of royalty, presidents and celebrities since it opened in 2008. The peaceful spa set behind blue glass overlooks the ocean and the natural sound of crashing waves waft through the tranquil building along with the scent of relaxing aromatic oils. Here you can experience spa treatments, which range from a simple foot massage to a traditional Hammam massage – which is the Moroccan version of a Turkish Bath – relaxing and cleansing your body with a vigorous body scrub using traditional black soap and of course, plenty of steam. A typical day in the life of Coco Ocean could easily start with a cool swim in any of the resort’s three fantastic blue shimmering infinity pools, followed by breakfast, served under giant green parasols that filter and protect guests from the early morning sun, on a large multi-level black and white tiled courtyard amidsoothing fountains, Attentive waiters busily attend to tables covered in crisp white tablecloths, first greeting you with a large basket of assorted freshly baked pastries, and smile to match, followed by fruit juices and an incredible double-page breakfast menu which includes bite-sized banana pancakes dusted in chocolate to traditional Gambian dishes. The most memorable of the market day in The Gambia. Reception at the Coco Ocean Resort. waiters was Ousman, who remembered everyone’s name and seemed to be constantly suppressing a fit of the giggles that quickly turned to uncontrollable delightful laughter as he took my order. Get used to it, because everyone smiles in the Gambia. Catch someone’s eye and it will bring a smile and an instinctive wave from young and old. Tempting though it is, it would be a crime to stay within Coco Ocean resort and never step out to see life in the Gambia, as a trip to the local market later proved. Leaving the air-conditioned comfort of our bus, driven by ‘Mr B’ another constant smiler, I ventured into a throng of colourful traders, where vibrant colour and noise immediately attacked the senses. Graceful women walk the dusty catwalk of the main street with impossible objects balanced centrally on their heads and tiny babies strapped to their backs.‘Burberry’ flip-flops lie alongside exotic vegetables and pots and pans, everything is for sale here. However, don’t look for a price tag; it’s all about what you’re prepared to pay. I discovered that rule one of haggling is – halve it, then for good measure take away your shoe size. But be realistic, time is not a valuable commodity here and you could find yourself spending an hour trying to save a pound. It’s good fun and I found by injecting humour into the equation it had a disarming effect on my opponent. My trip to the market was the equivalent of jumping into Gambian culture feet-first. That done, the smiling Mr ‘B’ set a course for Makasutu Cultural Forest just 45 minutes away by road.A 1,000-acre conservation area teeming with wildlife, run by Lawrence Williams the dedicated English owner who is passionate about his surroundings which started out as a dream of building of a small retreat for backpackers, was realized in 1992 following the purchase of just four acres of forest. Since then thousands of trees have been planted and 70 wells have been dug for the benefit of the surrounding population and vegetation. Lawrence runs the Mandina Lodges that sit within Makasutu Cultural Forest where four floating lodges and one house on stilts straddle a sleepy tributary of the main River Gambia. Reached by elevated walkways or a traditional dug out canoe, each lodge features a four-poster carved wooden bed adorned with crisp white cotton sheets. The eco-friendly bathroom has state
of the art composting toilets and solar heated water. In addition, there are three jungle lodges that are set back from the water, each of which has its own roof terrace with views across the mangroves and jungle. There’s no TV here – evening entertainment is good conversation
and music around the huge campfire after traditional dinner prepared by the resident chef. Lawrence is also a driving force for an exciting street-art project called Wide Open Walls, www. wideopenwalls.co.za, which has brought together acclaimed street artists from across the
globe. They bring with them the application of creative street-art images decorating villages as part of the Ballabu Conservation Project, which raise funds through the publication of a book and sales of photographs of the original art. Book a week here and you may just run into British street-artist Banksy.
A catamaran journey to the north bank of the River Gambiatook me to Sitanunku Lodge. During the crossing our boat was teased by a group of inquisitive dolphins that swam under our hull and criss-crossed our bows breaking the waters with grace and speed just a few feet away until they got bored with our whoops of joy and headed off to open sea. A breathtaking sight that was all too quick for my camera. Perched on high ground this resort offers recently completed hideaway lodges painted in earthy African colours. There is a bar, restaurant and plunge pool just big enough to get to know the other guests quite well, plus, since my visit, a large fresh water pool has been added, both have fabulous views across the river which can be explored by canoe in the safe waters. A short walk takes you to the other side of this Cay and commands a spectacular sea view. All rooms have electricity and modern bathroom facilities, at dusk the path leading down to the restaurant is illuminated by lanterns, the perfect, romantic getaway. An alternative option is Ngala Lodge an intimate boutique style hotel set high on cliffs overlooking the sea. Situated in a former ambassador’s residence near the British High Commission in Bakau/Fakara, this hotel is popular with couples. Lush tropical gardens provide privacy with paths that lead down to an intimate sheltered beach and decking area. There is also a swimming pool. The Atlantic Suites are stunning, each has its own private jacuzzi on the balcony or terrace, all rooms face the ocean and airconditioned with fans and mosquitonets. A fabulous sunset is guaranteed every evening seen from the restaurant which sits under a under a multi-coloured awning similar to a circus big top. For a completely urban Gambian experience a stay at the boutique Omakan hotel in Sukata is a must, set within a friendly village community four kilometres from the coast, the Belgian owner will cater for all your needs. He has immersed himself into African culture and the hotel is full of genuine African art which is all for sale. Hammocks and loungers surround the swimming pool set in lush gardens. On my last day during breakfast, I finally discovered the source of Ousman’s suppressed laughter. He had discovered what I paid for my ‘Burberry’ flip-flops. The sights, smells and humour of Africa are what make the
Gambia such a memorable experience.

ST TRAVEL FACTS
Kevin Walker travelled to The Gambia courtesy of The Gambia Experience. For details of all the hotels mentioned contact the Gambia Experience who have been operating for almost 25 years and fly to The Gambia all year- round. Their trusted Gambian reps, who unsurprisingly provide clients with a wealth of local information and insight into their country, will quickly become more like family friends. Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the exclusive Coco Ocean Hotel start from £999 per person, based on two sharing a junior suite with air conditioning on bed & breakfast. Luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge, costs from £899 per person, based on two sharing a standard suite with air conditioning on bed & breakfast. These prices are inclusive of flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes. Room upgrades and Premium Class flight upgrades are also available Three night add-on stays for the ultimate two-centre holiday can be arranged. A three night stay at the Mandina Lodges will cost from £199 per person on a half-board basis. Prices for a three night stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £249 per person (half board). Note the above properties are all exclusive through The Gambia Experience and are therefore not available through any other UK tour operator.

West Africa's tiny slice of paradise

Stephanie Maskery - The Flintshire Chronicle — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A hunt for winter sun leads Stephanie Maskery to West Africa's tiny slice of paradise.

Three the magic number for winter sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for some hot African sunshine where the welcome is as warm as the weather then how about considering three very different countries on and off the West Coast of Africa - Cape Verde, Senegal or The Gambia. DEREK JAMES reports.
Where to go for a winter holiday? You may be tired of the Canaries where the weather can be dodgy. You may think the Caribbean too expensive or the Far East too far. And other, closer to home, winter resorts such as parts of Egypt and Tunisia report low bookings for obvious reasons.But due south - roughly six hours flying time away - there are three fascinating countries with sweeping and stunning beaches waiting to be explored.
Each one has so much to offer. Each one is very different with its own rich history and culture. Each one will give you a good value holiday with a difference. One was a former Portuguese colony, the other French and the third British.
Cape Verde
Let’s start with the former Portuguese islands of Cape Verde. There was talk a few years of transforming these island just off the coast of West Africa into the next Canaries – thank goodness that hasn’t happened. This collection of ten islands each have their own appeal with varied landscapes, an eclectic cultural heritage and a variety of activities to suit all. The islands are an ideal winter sun destination and a great place to escape the crowds.
The leading tour operator is The Cape Verde Experience and commercial manager Paul Kenny says the flight is relatively short and the weather remains consistent throughout the year - between 24 and 29 degC. Beyond the beaches the islands offer great diversity in their landscapes and culture and if
you are visiting it makes sense to opt for a twincentre holiday or an island-hopping itinerary which can be tailor-made in any combination. Bookings to Cape Verde are stronger this winter, mainly due to the increase in flights from the UK and an improvement to the infrastructure and accommodation – namely the opening of the Melia Tortuga Beach & Sea resort on sale and improvements to a number of other properties.
The islands all offer something different – from beautiful clean beaches to soaring mountain landscapes and lush green valleys - go and see for yourself.
Senegal
The French love their former colony Senegal but why should they have it to themselves. This is a great country to visit - offering so much. The UK’s destination specialist, The Senegal Experience, offers a wide range of accommodation, with a select choice of luxury hotels and properties.
The Gambia’s larger French neighbour is a fantastic country to visit with its superb climate, great beaches and thriving culture plus, its three mighty rivers and wonderfully intricate coastal lagoons and waterways support a great wealth of wildlife including numerous bird species and mammals.
There’s also opportunity for visitors to spot larger animals such as rhino, giraffe and zebra within its protected wildlife reserves. Where to stay? One place I can recommend is the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel located in the beach resort of Saly, about 80kms south of bustling Daker. This impressive hotel re-opened just before Christmas following a major refurbishment and now offers guests a wider choice of rooms along with a new beach club providing a la carte dining overlooking the sea. With its own private beach and adjacent marina, the Lamantin provides a real “wow” factor.
The Gambia
One of the best value winter warmers is the former British colony The Gambia, the smallest country on the continent with one of the biggest hearts. Board the plane to Banjul and the chances are you will be sitting next to “repeaters” – people who travel to this country every year because they love everything about it - the people, the culture, the way of life. Some people go for the sun, others for the
bird life, some for the fishing at sea or on the rivers and there are those involved in various charity projects. Others have bought homes in the country. It is still the best value winter sunshine holiday around. In recent years some excellent smaller, upmarket yet affordable “boutique” hotels have been built away from the coastal strips. You tend to find many people tend to go back to the same place to stay because the staff have become friends. It is that kind of country. And you never know who you will bump into - on my last visit in January I met Teresa Elmassry who runs a busy restaurant and bar
with her husband called Yasmina’s the corner of the main road leading into the Senegambia “strip.” In a previous life she was Teresa Slater, formerly of North Walsham and then Lawson Road in Norwich, who worked at Mann Egerton, Sedgwick’s and the Co-op before heading off to work in Gambia. And it was there that she met Roberto, fell in love, settled down to get married, raise a family and run a thriving business. I’ll tell you more about Teresa in the Evening News soon but if you are visiting the country then pop in and say hello. So be warned. Visiting these countries can change your life. You may not want to come home.
Get Packing
 The Cape Verde Experience (0845 3302071, capeverde.co.uk) offers a wide variety of holidays with flight options to Sal and to Boa Vista from Gatwick. The company is offering seven night packages at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal (capeverde.co.uk/ morabeza), a popular family-run hotel with good facilities on the edge of Santa Maria’s white sandy beach from £899pp travelling in May.
 The Senegal Experience (0845 3388706, senegal. co.uk) is offering half board packages including flights and transfers from £1,199pp for holidays in March. This price is based on two sharing a garden room at the Lamantin Beach and return flights to Daker via Brussels from Heathrow.
Call for more details of holidays to Senegal, including twin centre options combining a stay in the Gambia, plus tailor made tours and Rivers of West Africa cruise and stay opportunities.
 The Gambia Experience (0845 3302087, gambia. co.uk) has a complete range of places to stay from basic 2* hotels offering a real taste of Africa to intimate 5* luxury hotspots and from family fun
hotels to stunning river lodges. If you want to travel in March here are two offers at beachfront hotels. A week at the 3* Kombo Beach costs from £399pp based on two sharing a standard air conditioned room on b&b. A week at the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel, all-inclusive, from £699 based on two sharing a standard Baobab room with air con. These budget prices include Gatwick flights with a reduced allowance of 15 kilo and does not include airport transfers. A supplement of £15pp applies for transfers and £25pp for an increased 5 kilo luggage allowance.
Travel Tip: Airport Comfort
It is the perfect, peaceful start to a holiday. Airports are busy, bustling places but there are quiet corners where you can relax - the exclusive airport lounges are not just for those travelling first
class. You have probably noticed people popping in and out of them as you queue for an overpriced soggy roll and coffee. No.1 offers airport lounges at Stansted, Gatwick North and South and
Heathrow Terminal 3 which are great places to visit where you can recharge your batteries before boarding. Pay the entrance fee - it is cheaper to book in advance - and food and drink plus other
facilities are all there for you. Spa services and showers at some do cost extra.There are two lounges at Stansted, one serving all international gates (except Ryanair) and the other serving
Ryanair flights. They are open from 4am to 9pm and cost £15pp for up to three hours (children £7.50). The lounges are Gatwick North and South cost £20 (children £10) if booked in advance and
the flagship lounge at Heathrow is £30 (children £15).
 For more details and to book up visit www. no1traveller.com or you just turn up when you get to the airport.
Travel Tip: Getting To The Airport
The easiest way to get to the airport - Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick - from Norwich and otherNorfolk towns is by National Express (08717 818181, nationalexpress.com) coach which travel 24
hours a day. They run an efficient and convenient service in and out of Norwich and the coaches stop at Thickthorn, Wymondham

Go with the Flow

Christopher Wakling - The Independent — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Children rarely scream at the sight of me. My own offspring, faced with my anger, might quiver a bit. But I'm not often that cross. I therefore didn't understand the terrified wailing when I first saw it in The Gambia. I was in a small village called Tubakulam, just north of the river which gives the country its name. A local mechanic, Ousman Camara, had kindly offered to show me around.

We had a cup of brutally strong green tea with his uncle, Nuha Darbo, while sitting on a wall and watching the sun dip towards the scrubby football pitch. Then we entered his family compound. Gambians mostly live together in communal extended-family groups: "best social security", Ousman explained. I met his sister, mother, aunts and assorted nephews and nieces.

All were astonishingly welcoming. I was invited to pound some rice, forgiven when I tired comically quickly in the heat, and – to change the subject, as much as anything else – shown the luscious cassava planted in the back-garden-field. The older children clustered around me yelling "Toubab!" ("it means white man, or tourist, in a nice way") and tried to hold my hands. I felt special. But the youngest child took one look at me and burst into tears.

I crouched down and smiled. The toddler screamed louder and buried his face in his mother's arms. She thought this very funny and thrust the child at me again. When he refused to calm down I beat a retreat.

To read the remainder of Chris Wakling's feature, please click to view the online version on The Independent website.

The Smiling Coast

Laura Cartledge - etc Magazine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Peering out of the egg-shaped plane window at the grey, heavy sky and rain soaked runway it is hard to believe that in just six hours I will be in a completely different world. Yet sure enough as we start our decent the clouds part and beneath us Africa unrolls it’s warm red earth to welcome us.
The Gambia, known as the smiling coast of Africa, lives up to its reputation instantly as passengers exchange excited grins, eager and excited to get out and explore.The adventure begins with the baggage reclaim as a three-deep crowd clambers to be reunited with their belongings.And as boring black suitcase after boring black suitcase rolls past I regret not having brightened up my luggage.
Finally we make it to the bus and are given a very welcome ice cool bottle of water and a handmade wicker fan by The Gambia Experience team – and as I take my first sip it becomes clear we are going to be very well looked after. All aboard we make our way to the Coco Ocean Resort & Spa located in the coastal resort of Bijilo. It is only a 30 minute drive but it flies by as we all press our noses to the glass already captivated by the country. The roadside rolls past like a film reel with scenes of shop fronts adorned with hand painted signs, and men relaxing under trees while women with children strapped to their backs walk along balancing buckets on their heads. Before long we turn into our resort where the bustle of the streets is replaced by an instant air of calm. It is easy to see why the hotel is regarded as the most luxurious one in The Gambia and has become the place to stay for celebrities and discerning holidaymakers. The cool white walls, marble lined interior, domed roofs, high ceilings and abundance of lanterns create a Moroccan feel which at first seems strange, yet the way they all work together to maximise the natural light has something magical about it.
Following welcome drinks we are shown to our rooms and it is all I can do to keep my jaw hitting the floor when the glass front slides back to reveal floating, full length, white cotton curtains which reveal just a peek of what lies beyond. The floor was a checkers board of marble with a step up from the area with two sofas to the biggest bed I have ever seen. While the wall behind had two doors, one on each side of the bed, which concealed the ensuite - as luxury means not having to walk around to get to the bathroom. After a quick shower and change it was time for dinner. The hotel has a tasty choice of restaurants and menus with international chef cooking up the best cuisine from around the world. The main restaurant offers al fresco or more formal dining and with the weather being the perfect balance of balmy with a breeze we settle outside and tuck into a tasty avocado salad followed by succulent fish.
Well fed and worn out we retire for the night. The next morning I would like to say it was the cheerful bird song outside my room which awoke me but I am afraid nature was a bit closer than that, as a spider has been tempted by the plush pillows and massive mattress of my bed and it was he, crawling along my arm, that saw me spring into the second day.
After a breakfast of freshly baked pastries, freshly squeezed juice and perfectly poached eggs it was time to explore what else the hotel had to offer. Including tiered swimming pools stepping down to the sea, beach cabanas, rooms available for event hire which are understandably popular for weddings and a beautiful spa with everything you would expect and more. In fact there was so much to see it was almost possible to forget the wonders of the country just beyond the resort walls. Luckily our itinerary for the day began with a trip to Makasutu Cultural Forest, a 1000-acre conservation area and home to a unique eco resort in the heart of the African bush. Despite the growing heat we did manage to explore the dense palm forest and learn about the plethora of wildlife that called it home.
Our guide Mucki from West Africa Tours, provided a unique, informed and hilarious commentary, spotting a kingfisher he announced The Gambia boasts seven varieties of the bird, in comparison to England’s one.“That’s The Gambia seven, England one,” he would repeat. Meaning every sighting, be it of bird, lizard or baboon, would see England lose as he announced the score, football-style, with a grin of delight.
We then took to the water in canoes made from hollowed out silk trees to get a great view of the mango groves before returning to land and being entertained by a troop of baboons. At Makasutu we also saw the Mandina lodges, which have previously been awarded “Best Overseas Eco Development Project” by the British Guild of Travel Writers. Situated on stilts along the water edge the floating and jungle lodges look almost as if they have grown there rather than being built. Over a delicious lunch we meet owner Lawrence Williams whose passion for the area, and Africa, has fuelled a street art project called Wide Open Walls which works to bring art to the local communities. Lawrence came to the area as a backpacker after university and has never left, and when the time came for us to tear ourselves away and get back on the bus it was easy to see why.
For dinner we headed to Ngala Lodge, a stunning small intimate boutique style hotel which radiated an authentically African feeling from its rich red walls and tastefully picked traditional features. The food was equally as spectacular from the spoonsized amuse bouche, to the goats cheese and spiced vegetable spring rolls served on pickled cabbage with a garlic dip.They were honestly the best I have ever tasted and I could quite happily have eaten a bowl full, however that would have meant missing out on the delicious thai style banana crème brulee.
Day three of my stay coincided with Tobaski a public holiday with biblical foundations which has unfortunate repercussions if you are a ram… luckily our day didn’t include making any sacrifices instead we took a two hour catamaran trip up river from Lamin Lodge to Sitanunku Lodge. A new addition to The Gambia Experience portfolio Sitanunku is the perfect place for birdwatchers, fishers or those seeking a romantic hideaway. While some of us cool off in the plunge pool others take to the river in kayaks before we sit down, once more, to eat. On our return trip the sun is just beginning to set and the light at Lamin Lodge is captivating, making it the perfect end to another great day. After a breakfast of banana and chocolate pancakes we pop into Omakan hotel which is ideally placed for guests wanting to be closer to the Gambian village community. Something our next stop also includes as it is time for the part I have been looking forward to the most – the school visit.
First we head to a secondary school which has been helped by The Gambia Experience before visiting the primary school in Brikama which has been made possible, in part, to the work of Bognor Regis based charity Nyodema. Everyone was so welcoming and excited within minutes I found myself sat behind a little desk surrounded by smiling faces. It was exactly how a primary school should be full of life and fun.Too soon it was time to go. In fact time is a funny thing in The Gambia, to the point it is opening joked about. If you are told a journey, for instance, may take half an hour “Gambian time” you can expect it to take anywhere between ten minutes and two days. Of course this is partly due to the fact there are only seven sets of traffic lights in the country and that rams and cattle will always have right of way. However the relaxed pace does have its benefits as it feels like you are there for longer than you are. My four days honestly felt like it was a fortnight – but in a good way. The country still has so much for me to uncover which is just as well as I definitely plan to return.
www.etcmag.net

A Warm Welcome

Dominic Smith - The Argus - Saturday Magazine — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Through watery, bloodshot eyes, Papa Sang Jatta explained the only thing to do was return home with gifts.
“You’ve problems with your relationship,” he explained through our translator and guide, Mucki Bojang. “You don’t listen. You need to start giving to charity. Take some presents home for your family.” He was holding the palm of a curious Westerner in his left hand. In his right hand he had a wooden ivory tusk shaker which he rattled to call the spirits. The sweating patient gripped a mirror to help the shaman inspect his wrinkles and lines. The witch doctor stroked the fluffs of white hair on his chin and rubbed his wool hat. He patted down his blue shiny dress. Wrapped his white linen shawl tighter. Then cast out an inquisitive stare. “Well, it’s true I argue a lot,” replied our guinea pig, rapidly becoming self-analytical as some chickens scuttled away from baboons nosing about the bamboo shack. “He’s right, though. I’ve got to get my daughters something. Now, how much do I owe him?” We were in Makasutu Forest, in the west of The Gambia, a few hours’ drive south of the administrative capital, Banjul. Once the site of a bloody tribal battle and still haunted by demons and devils (there is a dead king buried somewhere beneath the cashew trees, apparently), the area is now notable for its playful monkeys who swing from trees like children in a jungle playground and splash about in the tributaries of the River Gambia. The place is not so isolated that old Papa Sang can’t receive post. The savvy man of 90 or 91 rains (no one can remember, especially not him) has his own PO box number. But such is the privacy available here Lawrence Williams, an Englishman who has travelled to every corner of Africa from Sudan to South Africa, is trying to turn the 1,000-acre forest into a cultural hideaway. He first visited The Gambia as an uncertain tourist 20 years ago and fell for Africa’s second smallest nation – bordered only by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean – immediately. Now he owns a bunch of exclusive floating residences, Mandina Lodges, not far from Papa Sang’s hutch. The reason: “It’s the only place in Africa I didn’t feel like an outsider.” But Williams is no khakiclothed colonial. The giant expander earrings and butterfly hand tattoos (surely to local jewellery tastes) suggest a love of street culture and art. As well as the luxury lodges, he runs Wide Open Walls: an art project whose first installation saw eight Western graffiti artists empty 1,000 cans of paint on Kubuneh village in the hope of beginning a trail whose profits will be reinvested in health and education programmes. The dream is to establish artled tourism in a country where cultural pursuits are scant. Good luck to him. Few come here for anything other than sun. But when it’s virtually guaranteed, why would you? Well, as well as intrigue and isolation, there is the varied and myriad wildlife: more butterflies than a keeper could count; rare birds, lizards, monkeys; and, in the cocktail bars on the Kololi strip, the wonderful syrupy Guinness you only find in Africa and local lager JulBrew. To reach Kubuneh, take a wooden canoe downriver, past the upside-down amber mangroves which have oysters (smoked to make the fine soup at Jo Jo’s restaurant in Kololi) clinging like leeches to their roots. Before setting sail, though, try the palm wine. The thick white goo, with its bitter lemon and lychee taste, can be drained and drunk immediately, while after three days’ fermenting it comes in at a fruity 13%. The locals call it zum zum juice: drink the lot and your head goes zum zum. Once we’d lowered ourselves into the slightly leaky vessel, my head was certainly humming something.
Things cleared up back on dry land at my hotel, Coco Ocean, where staff outnumber guests by three to one. It’s the biggest employer in the country and its aim is luxury. The presidential suite – popular with Moroccan royalty and Nigerian capital Lagos’s high society – is yours for 1,900 euros per night. Whether it’s thanks to the pools and spas and beachside service or perceived threats outside the complex (the “bumsters” who befriend visitors in exchange, they hope, for money), tour guide Mucki said most visitors keep to the hotels and their immediate environs. Shame. Almost every soul you meet – at Brikama market with its rainbow colours and withered but GM-free aubergines, in Serrekunda, beside the silk cotton tree and wrestling arena with contenders in loin cloth, in the local schools filled with mischievous children so adorable a couple from Bognor were moved to pay for
their new school – wants only to find out about you and your world.
The Gambia is a flat, watery country whose name comes from the main river British colonialists once mistook for the Nile. We dragged ourselves away from Coco Ocean on the southern bank for a blissful three-hour catamaran (£55 per person) journey over the River Gambia to the North Bank. As we sailed on to another scruffy paradise, Sitanunku, the only sound was the swoosh of dolphins riding the bow. No major resort, with only plump baobab trees and modernist huts to distract from the beachside plunge pool, Sitanunku is the place to write that novel.
For inspiration, there are kayaks to reach uninhabited Dog Island. But most people come for the fishing. Living off shore are captain fish, barracuda and yellowfin tuna so large they’ve stopped counting world records. It sounded like a fisherman’s tale worthy of Hemingway, but Alhagie Sarr said he once spent 12 hours fighting a tarpoon. There were four men in the boat and at 7am the beast was hooked. By 7pm, after a series of long, exhausting shifts, the crew landed a fish as big as the boat and as wide as three men. Still, there was no regret when he wriggled out. There is a café where the chef will cook your catch or serve you one of the meaty white fish such as benachin or butter-fish that seem to be on every menu. Fishing is the last thought over at Sanyang beach, where the Atlantic is warm, if never calm, and the long stretch of sand seems to wrap its way around the entire coastline. For £45 West African Tours will drive you there and organise a beachside buffet lunch, before securing you an invitation to a traditional family compound, be it brick or mud, containing up to 40 people.
Lamb, sacrificed and spiced for the most important day in the calendar, Tobaski, was dished out at the compound we visited. And because sharing is the essence of the feast, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah and the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, we all sat round with greasy fingers and big smiles.
As we drove back to the hotel and on to the airport, past hundreds of skinny goats left over from the festival, the words from Papa Sang Jatta rang around my head. I contemplated giving one a new home, but instead reflected on how my own spiritual journey was over.

Happy Holidays

Jon Reeve - Southampton Daily Echo — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

SOMETIMES, you just can’t help smiling. You know that feeling when, quite unconsciously, you find yourself wearing a huge grin on your face? Well if you don’t, then after a few days in The Gambia you soon will.
It’s not so much the glorious weather, the wonderful wildlife, fantastic hotels or the stunning scenery – although they obviously all play their part. No, the thing that really stands The Gambia aside from the drudgery of a typically cold, grey and miserable English winter just a six-hour direct flight away, is its people.
The country, which snakes inland from the Atlantic Ocean along the course of the river from which it takes its name, is known as the continent’s smiling coast. And it doesn’t take long to realise why. It’s quite simply infectious, and everyone’s at it. If you’re not smiling, you’re the odd one out. The Gambian people pride themselves on their sunny good nature, and there is no more obvious a sign of their warmth and friendliness than the beaming smiles that seem to be a default on everyone’s faces.
Everywhere you go, people seem to be incredibly happy. Whether they’re serving you dinner, driving a taxi, or just going about their daily business, there’s an overwhelmingly positive outlook on life. And watching African life in action is fascinating. Driving through towns, the streets are lined with improvised-looking huts and shacks, as well as sturdier brick buildings, which all house bars, cafes and shops, with groups of men sitting around outside seemingly setting the world to rights.
As you head into the countryside, which is surprisingly green after the summertime rainy season, the buildings become scarcer, only to become replaced by sporadic stalls selling fruit and vegetables, and people waiting to catch a ride in a brightly coloured taxi or one of the many ramshackle and crowded minibuses that dominate the roads. But it’s when you get out of the car that you really get a feel for the extraordinary country and its people.
The market at The Gambia’s second largest city, Brikama, was such a hive of activity it made Southampton’s WestQuay look like a library. We visited on the busiest day of the year, the eve of Tobaski – which is the predominantly Muslim country’s equivalent of Christmas – and it was extraordinary. Everywhere we turned, there were impeccably dressed people swarming through a seemingly disorganised hotch-potch of street displays and stalls accessed through narrow pathways, offering everything from traditional clothing to electrical goods to a few peppers or onions. And despite the apparent chaos, those smiles and good humour continued to shine through.
The hustle and bustle of the busy market couldn’t have contrasted more than with the relaxed tranquillity of hotel life on offer in The Gambia. We stayed in the serene Coco Ocean, an oasis of calm sitting alongside the golden sand Atlantic Ocean beach, just a couple of miles and a short taxi ride from the main tourist area of Kololi, with its lively strip of restaurants and bars offering alternatives to the laid back resorts. Opened three years ago, the colonial-style five-star spa and hotel complex boasts a range of suites and facilities to cater for guests on a variety of budgets, ranging up to the palatial Presidential Suite, which as its name suggests, has hosted heads of state and celebrities from across Africa
and beyond. Coco Ocean’s striking whitewashed and distinctively domed buildings are spaciously laid out among palm trees and green gardens, creating an oasis of calm for the perfect winter getaway. Coco Ocean has a mixture of open-air and covered restaurants offering the option of eating African, European and Thai cuisine indoors or in the open air, and bars where you can unwind by the pools or fountains, with only the sound of crashing waves to disturb you.
Further afield, the choice offered at the exclusive complex is replicated across The Gambia, which boasts plenty of hotel options to cater for different tastes and varied holiday experiences. A few miles up the coast from the Coco Ocean, the boutique suites at the quaint Ngala Lodge provide a perfect child-free couples’ retreat.
Away from the coast, guests are outnumbered by the cute and fascinating baboons wandering around the exclusive Mandina Lodges in the 1,000-acre Makasutu Forest. Its eight various lodges sit on stilts or float on the water of a tributary of the River Gambia, where visitors get an authentic feel for the African bush and its wildlife.
Taking a leisurely catamaran trip across the river to the north bank, passing the time sunbathing on deck or watching the playful dolphins leaping from the water in front of the boat, you are whisked off to the remote haven of Sitanunku. Here, just five lodges and a small bar and restaurant are set on a picturesque peninsula, providing guests with the ultimate back-to-nature getaway.
Or for those wanting to explore the true Gambia, the delightful Omakan Hotel is hidden away in the small village of Sukutu, where staff are only too happy to provide guests with information needed to see the country. But however you choose to experience this wonderful country, I bet it leaves you smiling.
FACTFILE
The Gambia Experience, based in Whiteley, is the UK’s only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia, operating from Gatwick. Call 0845 330 2087 or visit gambia.co.uk
Coco Ocean Resort & Spa costs from £1,035 per person for a seven-night B&B stay in a junior suite, including flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes.

Happy Holidays

Jon Reeve - Hampshire Chronicle — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience

Tim Metcalfe - Limited Edition - Kent — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Walking along Sanyang beach with my feet in Atlantic surf, I fell into conversation with one of The Gambia’s so-called 'bumsters' – grifters who make a living selling trinkets to tourists. These sort of conversations usually result in an exchange of cash for an item you do not need. And that is exactly what happened here — but in the course of my chat with Kalilu Camara I learned that his dream was to become a teacher and build a school in his village of Sanyang.
Was this a line he spun to all the tourists dropping in to sample the delights of his country, I wondered? Pondering this question later it seemed to me that this young man scraping a living on the beach appeared pretty genuine. As well as wanting cash for his seashells, he also asked if I could send him a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary — once we had shared information about what part of the UK I was visitng from.
The beauty of the palm-fringed beach and the circumstances of young Kalilu summed up the contradictions you may discover on a visit to this still developing West African country. The main tourist season in The Gambia runs from November to April — perfect for getting away from the cold, damp and sometimes snowy UK. Humidity increases between July and October, and the rains arrive from August to September. So visitors can experience luxury accommodation in the tourist hotels while soaking up some guaranteed winter sun.
Coco Ocean — where our party of visiting journalists stayed — is a 'village' style resort right on the beach in the tourist area of Bijilo. Designed using a Moroccan architectural theme, it has a spa, offering all kinds of treatments, several swimming pools, bars and restaurants, with rooms and suites to suit most pockets.
Coco Ocean is billed as The Gambia's most luxurious hotel, and has attracted royal visitors from the Middle East and has proved a wonderful location for weddings with a difference, with couples tying the knot in beautifully appointed marquees on the beach. My suite was decorated Moroccan-style, with an amazingly comfortable bed, essential air-con, and a tiled bathroom with a wet-room style shower. Other suites within the resorts did have baths, should guests prefer one.
Facilities at the top-end hotels, such as the Coco Ocean resort and spa, match anything you would find at European or Caribbean resorts. Restaurants within the resort offered a mix of dishes — making good use of the local fish, while catering for European tastes. Gambia may be a Muslim nation, but the country has its own brewery, producing a fine lager called Julbrew — which became the drink of choice among most of our group. If large resort-style hotels are not your scene, The Gambia also offers many smaller guest houses and intimate boutique hotels, such as the beautiful Omakan in the village of Sukuta, owned by the charming and enthusiastic exmusic producer Peter Vanderhallen, or the elegant Ngala Lodge in Fajara. If you wished, you could spend an enjoyable winter break in the sun without moving away from your hotel. But, by not stepping outside your hotel, you would miss experiencing the colourful, fascinating and sometimes chaotic culture of The Gambia found away from the tourist areas. My trip coincided with the Muslim festival of Tabaski, in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, in the name of Allah. Every married man or head of household is expected to buy a sheep or other suitable animal for sacrifice.
Tabaski is a massive nationwide barbecue – with visits to the mosque and family celebrations throughout the day. Gambians wear their finest clothes and visit their family and friends. Flocks of goats lined the roadsides and the local markets were packed with people doing last-minute shopping. Imagine our supermarkets on Christmas Eve, add the smells and sounds and bright colours of Africa, and you will get the idea. I experienced the crush first-hand on a bewildering whistle-stop tour of the busy market in the conurbation of Brikama — a labyrinth of stalls and meandering alleyways. You will need the services of a local guide (your travel company will be able to supply details) but this is an experience not to be missed. Stand still long enough amid the bustle and you will also inevitably fall into conversation with friendly passers-by, mostly interested in what you are doing in their country.
English remains the main language of The Gambia, and is taught in schools, so communication is not generally a problem. You can also easily mix a beach resort-style holiday with something a little more adventurous. For example you can get back to nature within the Makasutu Cultural Forest, a 1,000 acre conservation area which is where you will find the Mandina Lodges, a unique eco-resort set in the heart of the Gambian bush. Makasutu was founded by two British men, the late James English and his nephew Lawrence Williams. Originally the well-travelled pair had the idea of setting up a backpackers hostel, but ended up successfully attempting to prevent degradation of the forest by creating a popular tourist destination. Lawrence is also a founder of the Wide Open Walls project, an innovative scheme with has brought street artists to The Gambia.
At Makasutu you can get really close to nature while staying in luxurious lodges, either floating or on stilts over the river or within jungle lodges set back from the water in the bush. The Mandina Lodges have been voted Best Overseas Development Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers. The forest is still home to the indigenous people of the area, who visitors can meet on guided walks through the bush. I enjoyed a trip through the mangroves in a dug-out canoe (known as pirogues) seeing a variety of birds and wildlife. The Gambia has become popular among birdwatchers, with the likes of Autumnwatch presenter Chris Packham leading groups who want to see some of the country's exotic bird life — which includes many species of hornbills, various kingfishers, large and small, plus the fantastic glossy blue starling and some beautiful birds of prey, including the osprey.
While The Gambia may not have big cats or elephants – you will encounter many species of monkey. We were lucky enough to see some rare Western Red Colobus monkeys leaping through palm trees in the Tanji reserve. Fishing is another big attraction for visitors to The Gambia – and a perfect place to base yourself for a trip with rod and line is the new Sitanunku Lodge — a collection of simple (solar-powered) riverside lodges on the north bank of the River Gambia. It will take you a couple of hours to reach Sitanuku by boat. You might be lucky enough — as we were — to see pods of dolphins surfing the bow wave of your boat. Sitanunku is a wonderfully peaceful place, with two pools to relax in and a bar/restaurant area where you can sit in the shade of 400 year-old baobab trees populated, at certain times of the day, by green parrots. The perfect place to sit and write that best-selling novel if you have one in you. But if you are feeling more active you can loan a kayak and explore the river further. Keen anglers visiting The Gambia can hope to catch Cubera Snapper, captain Fish, Barracuda, Lady Fish, Cassava and even large rays. The river around Sitanunku is also home to big Tarpon (upwards of 150kg) which provide a real challenge. Fish is a big part of the local diet and you can enjoy it fresh from the river in the many good restaurants in the Senegambia tourist area. The variety of food on offer was perhaps the thing that surprised me most — you can try local Gambian dishes or go for a combination of European and international menus at the lively restaurants on the Senegambia 'strip'. I tried and enjoyed a Gambian speciality called Benachin — a tasty dish of fish, rice and vegetables.
Of course, The Gambia does have its problems. People are, largely, very poor and climate change could be having an impact on the country. The water table is falling and there are problems with deforestation — which The Gambia Experience is helping to address by supporting environmental management projects in villages where wood is the primary fuel source. But, only six hours away from UK airports, The Gambia provides a great introduction to West Africa, and, if you get hooked, could be the launch-pad for further exploration. Many people return to the country year-after-year, enchanted by the people and the culture. I think I could be one of them.

Blue Sky Thinking

Tim Metcalfe - Oxfordshire Limited Edition — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Normal Service Resumes at Kombo Beach

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Kombo Beach Hotel is back in full working order following a fire on New Year’s Eve which damaged some of the beachfront public areas. Where appropriate food and beverage services were relocated to other areas within the hotel by New Year’s Day and a comprehensive clean-up operation is well underway. Disruption to hotel guests at the time was kept to a minimum with many holidaymakers praising the hard work of the staff to ensure the continued smooth running of the hotel.

Start your African Adventure Here

Nicola Fairhurst - Kent Messenger — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

THE roar of the Atlantic welcomed me to the Coco Ocean resort & Spa on the Gambian coast. After a relatively short journey from London – the flight is six hours – you can be sipping a sundowner in the West African heat by tea-time, leaving the British winter well and truly behind you.
Gambia has emerged as a winter destination to rival traditional out of season hotspots but it offers more than just sun, sea and sand. The Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, sandwiched in the middle of Senegal and divided by the River Gambia which first attracted the British to its shores. It’s coastline is a sliver of golden sand, lined with palm trees and lush vegetation, the air filled with the sound of exotic birds and the call of monkeys.
My short break was arranged by The Gambia Experience who have been showing visitors the delights of West Africa for 25 years. Their choice of hotels and lodges cater for all tastes and budgets but also bring guests closer to the real Gambia. I was staying at the Coco Ocean, considered the most luxurious hotel in The Gambia. The opulent Moroccan-inspired architecture, with domes, whitewashed walls, and tiered gardens sloping toward the sea, offers guests peace and tranquillity. And if the beach-side cabanas aren’t enough to help you unwind, the spa offers a range of treatments to tempt you away from your sunbed. As it wasn’t my first visit to Africa, I was not surprised that the suites were a little rough round the edges but the facilities, service and enthusiastic staff justify the five-star rating.
The one thing that sets The Gambia apart from its rivals are the people, who are friendly and seem to want to personally welcome every visitor to their country. My tour guide Mucki, with a passion for all things Gambian, was keen to boast of all of the country’s many hidden secrets, from the many species of butterfly, to the rare Western red colobus monkey only found in this part of Africa. We dropped in for lunch at the Mandina Lodges after floating upstream in a hollowed-out canoe and found an oasis in the African bush and a world away from the cold and rain at home. Hidden in the midst of Makasutu Forest, guests are assigned a guide for the duration of their stay to explore the tributaries of the River Gambia by canoe or wander through the forest to spot their nearest neighbours – a troop of baboons.
The following day after my jungle adventure, I travelled by catamaran to Sitanunku Lodge on the north bank of the River Gambia. The simple lodges are nestled under Baobab trees and surrounded by vibrant pink and red flowers, with views of the river. While away an afternoon in the plunge pool, or take to the water as I did on a kayak and paddle around the headland. After working up an appetite on the river, I tucked into seafood tapas and beautifully grilled butterfish. On the return journey down river, dolphins danced under the bows of the boat as the sun set on another day in paradise.
So the secret is out, The Gambia offers more than just winter sun and will be the perfect place to start your African adventure.

Factfile
The Gambia Experience is a trade name of Serenity Holidays, established for 24 years. They are the UK’s only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia, operating year round from Gatwick. Contact: The Gambia Experience Reservations - phone 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk
Coco Ocean Resort & Spa www.gambia.co.uk/cocoocean is exclusive to UK visitors throughThe Gambia Experience. Prices for a seven-night stay start from £1,035 per person (November 28- Dec 11) or £1,097 (April 13-30). Prices include flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Daytime flights with Monarch fly from Gatwick departing on Tuesdays and Fridays during winter 2011/12. All excursions can be booked locally through your representative at the hotel and are operated by West African Tours. The day trip to Sitanunku by catamaran costs £55 per person and includes a BBQ lunch.

Fly south for the winter

Judith Edwards - Reading Chronicle & Bracknell News Christmas Supplement — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Endless sunshine, expansive beaches, gourmet dining, breathtakingly delightful hotels, a palatial spa, wildlife and nature. This is The Gambia and its delights are just a six-hour flight away

Price Match Guarantee for October Bookings

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience has introduced a Price Match Guarantee*, valid for winter holidays (November 2011 – April 2012) if booked in October 2011. The guarantee means that if a holidaymaker finds the same holiday cheaper anywhere else, The Gambia Experience will match the price. NB: Must be based on same departure date, departure airport, hotel, board basis and room type.

The Gambia Experience is pleased to announce that holiday questionnaire feedback for the winter season 2010/11 has revealed that 95% of its customers said they would return to The Gambia, and 97% of its customers said they would recommend The Gambia Experience to their friends.

For more on The Gambia Experience’s ‘superior holiday service’ and holiday packages for this winter, please visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087.

* The Price Match Guarantee excludes the Kairaba Hotel for stays over Christmas & New Year.

Small is beautiful on this African adventure

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Small is beautiful on this African adventure

In the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports on new resorts in The Gambia, a far cry from the bold and brash all-inclusive hotels which are now dominating the winter sunshine market.

There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

The granddaddy of tourism to the Smiling Coast of West Africa is The Gambia Experience which has been sending people there for almost a quarter of a century. They have the biggest and best resort team, led so well by Joyce Stavroulakis, and offer more hotels than any other operator.

Earlier this year I visited the country to take a look at two new resorts on offer for the first time this season and called in at an old favourite. Three very different places to stay which illustrate how this country is reaching out to holidaymakers looking for more than just sun this winter. It may be a little land but it has a big heart.

NGALA LODGE
“Stop!” I said.
The taxi driver, who told me he knew “every inch of my land,” screeched to a halt.
He had been bowling along the coastal highway running towards Cape Point and had driven straight past the modest entrance to Ngala Lodge. It’s not often you get one over on a taxi driver, especially a Gambian one in his own country. “Just checking you knew where it was,” he laughed as we turned around. To be fair this isn’t a glitzy hotel with a flash entrance. It’s a colonial mansion which has been turned into a wonderfulplace to stay – and if you want to relax in stunning surroundings then this is the place for you. There is nowhere else quite like it. A smile and a handshake awaits you at reception and from then on, until the day of departure, they will look after your every need.
Most of the staff have been at the lodge for a long time and many of the guests who return every year, have become a good friends. Staying here is more like being a guest of a wealthy friend rather than staying in a hotel. It is discreet, intimate with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a perfect position overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean. By day you can enjoy the gardens, the pool, or the beach and at night sit on your large balcony enjoying a drink and listening to the waves roll in. There are only 18 rooms. You can stay in one of the suites in the main lodge or in upgraded Manor or Atlantic rooms, with gardens and Jacuzzis. The working town of Bakau, a great place to visit and not spoilt by tourism, is
within walking distance. Oh, and I forget to say the restaurant at Ngala, overlooking the ocean, is one of
the best in the country. View the menus on www.Gambia.co.uk/ngalarestaurant

OMAKAN HOTEL
Most tourist hotels overlook a beach which is fine if that is what you are looking for…but the Omakan, being offered for the first time by The Gambia Experience, is very different. As a guest here you will be surrounded by the real Africa well away from the coastal area packed with tourists. So much thought and care has gone into designing this small, first class hotel, which offers magnificent rooms and facilities. Once again the welcome by owner Peter and his staff is as warm as the weather. They will meet you at the airport and take you straight to the Omakan, in Sukuta, a place they are all so proud of. It is made up of 15 beautiful suites clustered around a swimming pool. It oozes style and sophistication. You will be staying a couple of miles inland but all around are the sights and sounds of Africa and the staff and the locals are only too pleased to show you their country, their customs and traditions. Be warned – it’s a way of life you could fall in love with and you know what that
means: you’ll be back.

FACTFILE
The Gambia Experience offers year round flights to the Gambia, with twice weekly departures from Gatwick during the winter enabling popular 10 and 11 night holidays – ideal for twin centre stays.
Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge cost from £982pp, based on two sharing an air-conditioned room on bed & breakfast, inclusive of flights and inflight meals, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Prices for a three night add-on stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £295pp or, for a three night add-on-stay at Omakan Hotel – prices cost from £199pp.
Both three night add-on packages include half board accommodation and hotel transfers. The company also offers other hotels to suit all tastes and pockets in The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal.
Visit www.gambia.co.uk or call 0845 330 4567.

Our friends in The Gambia

Derek James - Let's Talk Magazine — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Our friends in the Gambia
More winter sunshine hotspots are offering big and bold 5* all inclusive deals in large hotels but in the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports from The Gambia.
There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

Small country, big welcome

Derek James - Eastern Daily Press — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

SMALL COUNTRY, BIG WELCOME

More winter sunshine hotspots are offering big and bold 5* all inclusive deals in large hotels but in the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports from The Gambia.

There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

The granddaddy of tourism to the Smiling Coast of West Africa is The Gambia Experience which has been sending people there for almost a quarter of a century. They have the biggest and best resort team, led so well by Joyce Stavroulakis, and offer more hotels than any other operator.

Earlier this year I visited the country to take a look at two new resorts on offer for the first time this season and called in at an old favourite. Three very different places to stay which illustrate how this country is reaching out to holidaymakers looking for more than just sun this winter. It may be a little land but it has a big heart.

NGALA LODGE
“Stop!” I said.
The taxi driver, who told me he knew “every inch of my land,” screeched to a halt.
He had been bowling along the coastal highway running towards Cape Point and had driven straight past the modest entrance to Ngala Lodge. It’s not often you get one over on a taxi driver, especially a Gambian one in his own country. “Just checking you knew where it was,” he laughed as we turned around. To be fair this isn’t a glitzy hotel with a flash entrance. It’s a colonial mansion which has been turned into a wonderfulplace to stay – and if you want to relax in stunning surroundings then this is the place for you. There is nowhere else quite like it. A smile and a handshake awaits you at reception and from then on, until the day of departure, they will look after your every need.
Most of the staff have been at the lodge for a long time and many of the guests who return every year, have become a good friends. Staying here is more like being a guest of a wealthy friend rather than staying in a hotel. It is discreet, intimate with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a perfect position overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean. By day you can enjoy the gardens, the pool, or the beach and at night sit on your large balcony enjoying a drink and listening to the waves roll in. There are only 18 rooms. You can stay in one of the suites in the main lodge or in upgraded Manor or Atlantic rooms, with gardens and Jacuzzis. The working town of Bakau, a great place to visit and not spoilt by tourism, is
within walking distance. Oh, and I forget to say the restaurant at Ngala, overlooking the ocean, is one of
the best in the country. View the menus on www.Gambia.co.uk/ngalarestaurant

SITANUNKU LODGE
“Take the wheel,” said Marcel as the speed boat almost flew through the waters of the mighty River Gambia. I hadn’t got the heart to tell him I hadn’t even got a driving licence and hadn’t been behind the wheel of a car for more than 30 happy years. But I took the wheel and as we twisted and turned around the arteries of this great African river with the water spraying our faces, I was really stating to enjoy myself. I was on our way back to “civilisation” from an all-too-short visit to the Sitanunku Lodge, the first tourist lodge on the North Bank of the river most of tourism has turned its back on. The most many tourists see of this river is a day trip, such as Roots, but now you can stay in one of the five lodges built by Marcel and his team overlooking the river near Dog Island. This is thoughtful eco-friendly tourism involving the local community and it provides many of them with much needed work. The lodges themselves are a joy to stay in and you have the river on your doorstep. You can canoe or fish, go bird-watching or explore the local village. And there is a plunge pool with fabulousviews next to the bar and restaurant where the freshly cooked food is delicious.
Leave Gatwick in the morning and by early evening you could be sitting outside your lodge. It’s that close. Just an hour’s journey by road and boat from Banjul Airport, less than six hours from Gatwick. And it is extremely good value…for a holiday like no other head for Sitanunku.

OMAKAN HOTEL
Most tourist hotels overlook a beach which is fine if that is what you are looking for…but the Omakan, being offered for the first time by The Gambia Experience, is very different. As a guest here you will be surrounded by the real Africa well away from the coastal area packed with tourists. So much thought and care has gone into designing this small, first class hotel, which offers magnificent rooms and facilities. Once again the welcome by owner Peter and his staff is as warm as the weather. They will meet you at the airport and take you straight to the Omakan, in Sukuta, a place they are all so proud of. It is made up of 15 beautiful suites clustered around a swimming pool. It oozes style and sophistication. You will be staying a couple of miles inland but all around are the sights and sounds of Africa and the staff and the locals are only too pleased to show you their country, their customs and traditions. Be warned – it’s a way of life you could fall in love with and you know what that
means: you’ll be back.

FACTFILE

The Gambia Experience offers the widest choice of year round flights to the Gambia, with twice weekly departures from Gatwick during the winter enabling populat10 and 11 night holidays – ideal for twin centre stays.
Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge cost from £982pp, based on two sharing an air-conditioned room on bed & breakfast, inclusive of flights and inflight meals, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Prices for a three night add-on stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £295pp or, for a three night add-on-stay at Omakan Hotel – prices cost from £199pp.
Both three night add-on packages include half board accommodation and hotel transfers. The company also offers a host of other hotels to suit all tastes and pockets in The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal including a number of mix and match deals.
Visit www.gambia.co.uk or call 0845 330 4567.

DID YOU KNOW?
Gambia is surrounded by big brother Senegal – another fascinating African country and one well worth visiting. The Gambia Experience offers a number of two-centre holidays including a brilliant Rivers of West Africa Cruise and stay tour. Pick up a brochure or see their website for details.

Nyodema Fifth Festival Fundraising Success

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nyodema’s fifth annual festival - organised by Kathryn Burrington from The Gambia Experience and her friends - was 'a great day of diverse and inspiring music' according to festival goer Kevin Short.

An array of artists entertained the crowd at Nyodema's World Music and Arts Festival held last Saturday [20 August 2011] at The Waverley on Bognor¹s seafront.

The day started on the verandah with rock n roll from Slim Jim and the Wildcards against a back drop of blue skies and the glistening sea. A variety of musical genres followed including Slim Lightfoot¹s delta blues, a guest appearance by two Gambian drummers, the beautiful voice of Daisy Mouatt, medieval/Spanish guitar from Claude Bourbon, the West African rhythms of the Nyodema Drummers, and songs from around the world including traditional gospel and a spine-tingling Baka chant from the Nyodema World Community Choir. Morgana Villen Castro performed a stunning fusion of flamenco and belly-dancing, as well as holding a popular workshop. The children¹s percussion workshop led by Chris Diallo from Hands on Skin brought out some fabulous young talent.

"Nyodema's choir and drumming group is going from strength to strength. The weekly workshops held here in Bognor have proved a great success and both groups thoroughly enjoyed performing to such a receptive audience. New members are always welcome and no experience is necessary." said Geraldine Allchurch, the choir's director.

The evening's entertainment in the function room had everyone up and dancing. "What a great vibe - the whole day - then capped with Rattlin' Bone's feel from 'The Big Easy' ending perfectly with reggae from Planetman and the Internationalz!" said Stewart Nicol, compere for the day.

The raffle, stalls, workshops and donations collected throughout the day raised over £1,000. These funds will be used to provide children with insecticide treated mosquito nets and to continue developing the school in Dairuharu that Nyodema has built (with the assistance of the charity Karmic Angels) in The Gambia, one of Africa's poorest countries.

"Nyodema would like to thank The Waverley and their staff, the ROX charity for the loan of equipment, all the artists, volunteers and sponsors, including The Gambia Experience, and everyone who contributed to making this a really wonderful day" said Nyodema treasurer, Shelagh Hamilton.

For more information, please visit www.nyodema.org or call Kathryn on 07974 472 137.

Early Booking Offers - Book by 31 July

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Early Booking Offers for Winter 2011/2012 - Valid if Booked by 31 July 2011
Sample Early Booking Offers include………

The Unique Collection Winter Offer (save £75 per person)
www.gambia.co.uk/omakan
www.gambia.co.uk/sitanunku
The Gambia Experience is offering discounts of £75 per person on two properties within its new ‘Unique Collection’: Omakan Hotel in Sukuta and Sitanunku Lodge on the North Bank of the River Gambia. The discount is available on 3, 4 or 7 night holidays throughout winter 11/12*. Inclusive of the discount, 7-night holidays (based on two sharing) start from £823pp (Omakan, b&b) and £1069pp (Sitanunku, half board), including return flights**, taxes and transfers.

The Luxury Collection December Offer (save £133pp per week)
www.gambia.co.uk/ngala
The Gambia Experience is offering a Free Upgrade from a Standard Suite to a Manor Suite for guests staying at the boutique Ngala Lodge near Bakau - part of the tour operator’s Luxury Collection – during the period 02 - 23 December 2011.
7-night holidays at Ngala Lodge (inclusive of the discount) start from £982pp. Price is based on two sharing with breakfast and includes return flights**, taxes and transfers.

Premium Class Flights Offer (save £50pp)
The Gambia Experience is offering savings of £50 per person on its Premium Class Tuesday flights from London Gatwick – Banjul throughout the winter*. Inclusive of the discount, a 7-night return Premium Class flight ticket starts from £245pp.

These offers exclude stays over Christmas & New Year and cannot be combined with any other offers except a loyalty discount (if applicable) and are subject to availability.

For all of the above offers, call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk

* The winter season runs from 01 November 2011 – 30 April 2012.
** Flights are available from London Gatwick and Manchester.

NEW: The Gambia Experience 2011/12 Brochure

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Gambia Experience launches its November 2011 – October 2012 brochure this month. The brochure again incorporates sister company The Senegal Experience due to an increasing number of customers choosing multi-centre holidays (within either destination or across both). With 24 years experience, The Gambia Experience and The Senegal Experience offer the UK market the widest range of flight and hotel options to West Africa. The strong selling ‘Luxury Collection’ is presented for both The Gambia and Senegal, and includes exclusive hotels, and those complete with spa facilities. Highlights of the new brochure include:

New - The Unique Collection
The Gambia Experience ‘Unique Collection’ is new to the 2011/12 brochure. Featuring lodges and boutique hotels located away from the main tourist areas, the selected properties bring guests closer to the culture, people and wildlife of The Gambia. Sharing many characteristics of the Luxury Collection, but with a sense of relaxed indulgence, there are four properties to choose from: The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu; Sandele Eco Retreat in Kartong, and NEW for this season, Omakan Hotel in Sukuta and Sitanunku Lodge on the North Bank of the River Gambia.

Re-opening of 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel, Saly
Offering its own private white sand beach, marina, spa, and renowned for its gourmet cuisine, the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel in Senegal has long been considered the most luxurious hotel in Saly.
This year (2011) the hotel has been closed for major refurbishment, but is due to re-open at the end of the year, when it will boast a new Beach Club complete with à la carte restaurant, fitness centre, and floodlit tennis courts.

New - Rivers of West Africa Cruise departing from Banjul
For the second winter running, The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience - in collaboration with Variety Cruises - will offer the Rivers of West Africa cruise aboard the MY Pegasus. In addition to the nine-night itinerary departing from Dakar, including 2 nights at a Dakar hotel, there is now the option of a five-night cruise departing from Banjul. The cruise offers an alternative way to explore the region, all from the comfort of a 23-cabin mega yacht, complemented by optional inland excursions.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tour
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tour for The Gambia Experience in February 2012. With a maximum of 17 places on the trip, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tour breaks down into two three-day itineraries, available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £345 per person.
Additional birdwatching tours can be booked with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Additional All-Inclusive & Dining Options
The introduction of all-inclusive holidays continues to prove successful in The Gambia and Senegal with additional hotels now offering all-inclusive upgrade options, as well as a variety of dining packages.
Also, from this winter - in addition to rooms and suites - the popular 3.5* Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu will also offer ground floor studios, complete with kitchenette and living area.

Sustainable Tourism Update
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5-star AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) Sustainable Tourism status - the highest level possible. The Gambia Experience’s own registered charity - the School Development Fund established in 1989 - continues to support school projects within The Gambia, and as of 2011, has also set up its own school partnership scheme twinning UK and Gambian schools.

Early Booking Offers – Book by 31 July 2011
A number of Early Booking Offers are available, valid for November 2011 – April 2012 holidays, booked by 31 July 2011. These include £150pp savings; free suite upgrades at Ngala Lodge; twin-centre savings and discounts on Tuesday London Gatwick – Banjul Premium Class flights. Please contact The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience for full details and conditions.

This season, The Gambia Experience offers 7-night holidays from £525 per person (based on b&b); The Senegal Experience from £979 per person (based on half board). Unique / Luxury Collection holidays start from £898 per person (The Gambia, b&b) and £1184 (Senegal, half board) - all including flights & transfers. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Senegal Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 338 8706 or visit www.senegal.co.uk

School Charity Day Success - over £600 raised for gambian classroom

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience [part of Serenity Holidays] held a fancy-dress ‘School Charity Day’ last Friday (20 May) in order to raise money for its own registered charity, ‘The School Development Fund’.

A total of £618.50 was raised (£118.50 by staff and a contribution of £500 from directors) with the specific aim of supporting the Kitty Upper Basic School in The Gambia, in particular the completion of its school roof prior to the onset of the rainy season.

Staff and management at the Serenity Holidays Hampshire office were asked to come dressed as a school pupil, teacher or dinner lady. Throughout the day staff enjoyed homemade biscuits, egg & spoon races, guess the member of staff from the Serenity School Photo competition, and the unlucky few also experienced a five-minute detention!

Kathy Burrington - graphic designer at Serenity Holidays and member of the School Development Fund committee - who posed as ‘Headmistress’ for the day, commented:
“Immense fun was had by everyone last Friday. Above all, we are delighted to have made a difference to our most recent school project in The Gambia – Kitty Upper Basic School. We have now raised enough money to complete the outstanding building works, as well as carry some across to the next school which needs our help.”

For more information on The Gambia Experience, visit www.gambia.co.uk as well as www.thegambiablog.co.uk and on its School Development Fund - established in 1989, and now having assisted over 100 school projects across The Gambia - visit www.schooldevelopmentfund.org
To view Serenity Holidays staff enjoying the School Charity Day, please see The Gambia Experience Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/GambiaExperience

The secrets of magic at Ngala Lodge

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Guests staying at the boutique Ngala Lodge in The Gambia this May will be able to enjoy some magic over dinner and also pick up tips on how to do some tricks of their own.

Magician Mr Celsius will be performing his magic at Ngala Lodge from 13th to 20th May, sharing the secrets of a few of his tricks. Find out more about Mr Celsius and watch some videos of his television work at www.Celsiusmagic.nl

A week at the luxurious Ngala Lodge from 10th-17th May is currently discounted to £699 per person, a saving of £105pp. A week from 17th-24th May costs £799 per person. These prices include return flights from Gatwick, transfers, twin bed & breakfast accommodation, in-flight meals, 20 kg luggage allowance, Air Passenger Duty and Government Tourist Levy.

An eye-opening introduction to Africa

Oliver Smith - The Daily Telegraph — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

My taxi driver, Katim, led me into the front room of his home on the edge of Serrekunda, Gambia's largest city. Twenty chairs were arranged in a horseshoe, each facing the property's most prized possessions: an ancient-looking television and a battered wireless perched on a creaking credenza. My arrival caught the attention of three cheeky youngsters. They rushed towards the doorway to greet me, their shrieks of delight disturbing the silence of the home and the slumber of older relatives napping in adjacent rooms.
Soon I was sitting in a courtyard enjoying the afternoon sunshine with a coterie of aunts, great aunts, nieces and nephews – a space we shared with a skinny heifer, a clutch of chickens and a tethered goat. A matriarchal figure stirred a mighty pan of couscous as it warmed over an open fire. A baby in a brightly coloured sling clung to her back.
The children begged me to take their pictures. They craned their necks to see the results on my digital camera. I asked the eldest to take a picture of Katim and myself. Another photograph for his album.
It's not often I accept an offer of late lunch from a taxi driver, but a day spent with Katim, and a week in Gambia, had made me less suspicious than I am in London.
I hadn't envisaged this scenario three months previously, when my girlfriend, Sophie, and I decided on a trip to this tiny strip of West Africa.
Whereas Sophie looks for nothing more in a holiday than some sun-scorched stretch of sand in which to disappear into a decent novel and – ideally – five-star accommodation, I crave distraction. Here, six hours from a sodden Gatwick, was the perfect compromise. With April temperatures in excess of 86F (30C) and good beaches, she could unwind while I explored monkey-filled forests, meandering wetlands and a sleepy Third World capital.
But our research also unearthed off-putting warnings about sex tourism (Gambia is considered a place where middle-aged ladies can meet muscular and willing young men) and "bumsters" – locals who tout themselves as holiday guides.
Informing friends and family of our decision, we were greeted by raised eyebrows. "Do take care of yourself," urged my grandmother. After all, wasn't this the country where Britons suspected of criticising the government were sentenced to hard labour and whose head of state claimed he can cure Aids by administering banana extracts to the patient's chest?
We chose to take the risk. Steer clear of the bumsters, avoid denouncing the establishment, and we would get on just fine.
Sophie's fears were forgotten within five minutes of our arrival at the hotel. Once "cheap and cheerful", Gambian accommodation has improved, and the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa can only be termed luxurious. We were whisked by golf buggy past fountains and manicured gardens to a cool, airy suite overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In the fading light, we spotted lizards scuttling from the undergrowth and egrets stalking through the grass in search of one last edible insect.
The following morning we claimed two sunloungers beside the hotel's infinity pool – a spot that became Sophie's command centre for the duration of the holiday.
To read the remainder of this feature, click to view the online version.

Welcome to the jungle

Lynn Storey-Smith - Essex Chronicle — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Just a six hour flight from Gatwick, the smallest country on mainland Africa offers a sub-tropical climate, cultural experience and a warm welcome. What’s more, there’s no time difference from the UK so there’s no jetlag making even a week’s stay in The Gambia, a relaxing option for a quick fix of winter sun.
They call it the Smiling Coast of Africa and yes, it might be a slick marketing phrase dreamed up by the tourism authority, but nevertheless, it’s an accurate description.
A walk along the beach or just from my room through the gardens to the hotel reception never passed without a cheerful greeting: “Hello, how are you? What do think of The Gambia?” Soon I discovered that this sunny disposition wasn’t confined to the coastal, tourist areas around Kombo Beach Hotel where I spent four nights; the further we went off the beaten track, the greater the enthusiasm and the bigger the smiles.
As our 4x4 safari truck lurched its way down dusty, rutted tracks and we tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to dodge the branches of the cashew trees lashing out at us through the open sides, crowds of children appeared and ran alongside waving and calling out to us. Adults too, stopped and greeted us politely and it became obvious that hospitality is as deeply ingrained in the Gambian culture as is the refreshing scent of wild mint in the fertile Gambian countryside.
When we climbed down from the truck we were in Makasutu Forest, a wonderful ecological and cultural project, where we met up with its joint founder, Englishman, Lawrence Williams who first came to The Gambia in 1992. His original plan to build a surf camp on the beach was scrapped when he realised that despite the Atlantic Ocean edging the coastline, there’s no real surf.
He was travelling around the country with his business partner, James English, when they came across Makasutu which means Holy Forest and decided to buy four acres of land on a bend in the river with the idea of building a small lodge for back-packers. As we glided along the river in a small boat, he explained how this modest venture grew. “We went to the UK for a couple of months and when we arrived back we found that about 200 palm trees had been cut down on the land surrounding ours,” he said. “We met with the tribal owners of the land and they suggested that if we wanted to protect the area, we could buy it and fence it all off. That’s how our four acres became the 1,750 we now look after!” Our boat passed by two of the lodges now on offer to tourists here in Makasutu. All built with local materials, the Mandina Lodges number just eight in total, some set back from the river and some floating on the water or raised over it on stilts. As part of a twin centre holiday, you can opt to spend three or more days in the tranquil setting of Mandina just relaxing by the pool, birdwatching, fishing or exploring the forest where as I discovered first hand, you can unexpectedly come across a family of baboons.
More than 15 years of hard work dedicated to protecting the forest and the surrounding Ballabu area has resulted in widespread recognition and several prestigious eco-tourism awards for Lawrence and James. The latest venture to come to fruition was the focus of our trip downstream. From October 12 to 26 last year, just a few days before our arrival, the Wide Open Walls project had turned the village of Kubuneh into a work of art created by eight of the world’s leading street artists working in cooperation with the community. As I hopped off the boat and balanced precariously on a narrow log to reach the sandy riverbank, the first images came into view. Standing in the shade of a tree and taking care not to walk on any of the tiny crabs busily digging in and popping out of the muddy sand, I could make out an animal, possibly an antelope, painted on the wall.
A fan of graffiti and a keen artist himself, Lawrence went to art college before studying architecture then film and television set design at university. “About a year ago, I sent a late-night beer-inspired email to the website of one of my favourite artists, Eelus, telling him about the idea I had to turn a Gambian village into a living art project,” said Lawrence. Eelus replied and got behind it, taking part and helping to bring the vision to reality.
Our arrival in the village caused some excitement among the children especially when one of my companions produced a packet of mints. They walked with us as we discovered art on the walls of buildings including homes and the school, and even on trees. Figures and faces, lettering. landscapes, abstract patterns, birds, animals, and strange human/animal hybrids were all portrayed in a variety of styles.
Now the aim is to turn the Wide Open Walls project into an annual event encouraging art enthusiasts to watch the work in progress at another of the local villages. There are also plans to run excursions in the area including a tour of Kubuneh with an entrance fee so the village will benefit directly.
For tourists who want to explore beyond the confines of their hotel, there are numerous excursions which offer the
opportunity to see more of the country while benefiting the local population. Our excursions were organised by West African Tours whose guide Mucki provided us with a great insight into the culture and customs and imparted his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Gambian whenever the chance arose.
Our four wheel drive adventure included visits to a primary school where we learned about the education system and were entertained by the children singing, then to a compound where saw how a typical extended family lives and farms the land. Lunch was a barbecue served at a beach bar on a wide sandy beach miles from the tourist
areas, followed by a swim in the ocean or a snooze in a hammock. Now that’s relaxation.
Factfile
The writer was a guest of The Gambia Experience. Accommodation was at the Kombo Beach Hotel, a 4
grade hotel ( www. gambia.co.uk/kombo). Excursions are bookable locally with West African Tours through hotel reps. For more details and other hotel options, call The Gambia Experience on 0845
330 2087 or visit www. gambia.co.uk

Cheap flights to The Gambia

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There are some great flight only prices to Banjul, The Gambia in the next few weeks worth highlighting.

The cheapest return flights from Gatwick to Banjul depart on 8th April and cost £399 per person for either 7 or 14 night durations. The cheapest return flight from Manchester to Banjul departs on 13th April and costs £349 return for a 7 night duration. The cheapest one way flight departs from Gatwick on 6th May and costs £149.

For all the latest flight offers see http://www.gambia.co.uk/Docs/Special-Offers/Flight-Only.aspx

Prices are per person and include inflight meals, airport taxes and luggage allowance of 20 kilograms from Gatwick in May and Manchester. Luggage allowance of 25 kilograms for Gatwick departures in April.

There is a £10 TOD charge for bookings made within 7 days of departure. Flight prices can change and some departures are already full.

Sheraton Gambia turning out the lights for Earth Hour

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Sheraton Gambia Hotel in Brufut will be turning out their lights on Saturday to take part in the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF’s) Earth Hour which is recognised all around the world. The event aims to raise environmental awareness internationally – in 2010 a record 128 countries took part. Earth Hour will take place at 8.30pm (GMT) on Saturday 26th March 2011.

Gambians return home from Libya

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Last week more than 500 Gambians returned to The Gambia from Libya. Flights chartered by the Gambian Government arrived at Banjul International Airport on Thursday, Friday and Saturday carrying 164, 175 and 172 nationals respectively. Apparently another three charter flights are due to return more Gambians home safely in the coming days.

Children’s book raises money for schools in The Gambia

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Author Neil Griffiths marked last week’s World Book Day by reading his new children’s book ‘Fatou Fetch The Water’ to a group of pupils at Swindon Library. The book is about a girl in The Gambia and at least 10% of the money from book sales will be donated to schools in The Gambia and to a charity run by Neil – Starfish Malaria Project which provides malaria nets to families in The Gambia.

Fatou Fetch The Water has been nominated for a Dundee picture book prize. Order a copy online at http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=fatou+fetch+the+water&tag=mh0a9-21&index=stripbooks&hvadid=24180729&ref=pd_sl_72etej2gwq_e

Find out more about Starfish Malaria Project at http://www.cornertolearn.co.uk/starfish-malaria-project.html

St James Island renamed Kunta Kinteh Island

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

During last month’s International Roots Festival in The Gambia, the Island of St James (James Island) was renamed Kunta Kinteh Island to recognise the historical significance of the island.

The island is situated in the River Gambia, 30 kilometres from the coast, and is home to the ruins of a fort used to hold slaves before their journey across the Atlantic. The area is mentioned in the book “Roots” by Alex Haley as the home of his great great Grandfather Kunta Kinteh (or Kunta Kinte) who was taken to America as a slave. Tourists can now take boat trips to the region to James Island, the ancestral home village of Juffure and the village of slavery. For more details about the excursion see http://www.gambia.co.uk/Docs/Gambia-Holidays/Excursions/Roots.aspx

Birdwatching with Malick Suso

Ron Toft - The Travel Editor.com — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia is one of the nearest and most accessible of all African countries for UK-based bird-loving tourists who want to sample some of this continent's diverse avian delights but spend less than seven hours aboard a plane.

Getting there is not a problem, thanks to the regular, direct service offered by The Gambia Experience. But how does the first-time or infrequent visitor know where to go and what to see without wasting valuable time?

When I last visited The Gambia, shortly before Christmas 2010, I had just three days to see some of the special birds that make their home in this ultra-friendly, English-speaking country, so I needed to hit the ground running. Thanks to The Gambia Experience, I was placed in the capable hands of professional bird guide Malick Suso - a Lenny Henry sort of guy who never stops smiling.

I knew that Malick came highly recommended. In fact, TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham often uses him when birding in The Gambia. According to Chris, Malick is "one hell of a birder," and has been "a fantastic asset to every trip I've made there." I would wholeheartedly agree.

Malick's knowledge of birds is nothing short of breathtaking. He can see more with his battered pair of binoculars, only one eyepiece of which works, than I can with the two eyepieces of my new, top-of-the-range bins. What's more, he can pick up the slightest tweet, warble or whistle and instantly identify the bird making the sound. Within just a few hours, I was in awe of the man.

Malick, who not only works for The Gambia experience but also offers a range of birding packages himself, has been watching birds since he left school. He was ‘trained' by his uncle - one of The Gambia's foremost authorities on birds. Malick, who says he is "deeply concerned for the environmental welfare" of his country but recognises "that conservation needs to generate an income for the local communities to be sustainable."

My birdwatching experience began before I had even left the airport in Banjul. While waiting for the coach to transport me to The Karaiba Hotel, I spotted cattle egrets, hornbills and several long-tailed/heavy-billed birds called piapiacs. The early bird, it is said, catches the worm, and that is certainly the case as far as birdwatching is concerned. If you want to see lots of birds, especially normally elusive ones, you need to rise early before other people are about. That meant, in The Gambia at least, rising at 5 am to be ready for a 6 am departure.

I and several other birdwatchers (not necessarily the same ones every day) were taken to six birdwatching hotspots during the three days: Abuko Nature Reserve, Kotu Stream, Tanji Bird Reserve, Brufut Woods, Makasatu River and associated jungle, and Kachikally Crocodile Pool and nearby rice fields. We went out in the morning for several hours, returning for lunch. After resting, swimming or shopping (I did yet more birdwatching in the hotel grounds), we gathered again in late afternoon for another two or three hours with Malick.

The number and range of birds we spotted was truly incredible - everything from vultures, herons, egrets, ibises, plovers, sandpipers and truly stunning rollers to various kingfishers (including the giant), iridescent sunbirds, gorgeous bee-eaters, well-hidden owls, shrikes, orioles, bulbuls, flycatchers, waxbills, firefinches, barbets, terns and cuckoos. My favourite birds? Probably the African harrier-hawk, Senegal coucal and yellow-crowned gonolek.

At the end of three days, I felt I had known Malick for years and very much regretted having to leave. I wasn't going home, though - simply across the Gambia River and into neighbouring Senegal for another birdwatching experience. My wanderings there will be the subject of another article.

Useful Information
I travelled with specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience (reservations 0845 330 2087, www.gambia.co.uk) whose seven-night holidays at the five-grade Kairaba Hotel in Kololi start from £799 per person (Dec 2010 prices). This price is based on two people sharing a deluxe room on a B&B basis and includes return flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers. Malick Suso Three-Day Birdwatching Tours start from £175 per person. This cost is added to the holiday price.

The Gambia Experience has been operating in The Gambia for more than 20 years and has always offered birdwatching excursions, as well as working with specialist birdwatching companies providing fully-escorted tours. In 2008 the company began offering its own tours with Chris Packham. "These proved very popular," said Gambia Experience product manager Karen Durham, "leading us to add on a secondary Chris Packham tour option, incorporating accommodation at the award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasatu (a haven for wildlife)." In 2010 The Gambia Experience introduced three additional birdwatching tours with Malick Suso. "I am confident we will continue to see the interest in birdwatching increase over the next few years," added Karen.

Malick Suso can be contacted directly at malicksuso@hotmail.com
Also go to http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/Malick_Suso.htm

A good field guide is essential and one of the best is Birds of The Gambia and Senegal by Clive Barlow and Tim Wacher (published by Christopher Helm, an imprint of A & C Black) at £24.99 in paperback.

Celebrating 20 years of supporting The Gambia Fire & Rescue Service

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The founder of a UK charity, Gambia and Avon Fire Services in Partnership (GAFSIP), has travelled to The Gambia to celebrate the country’s Independence Day on 18th February and mark 20 years of the Partnership. David Hutchings, who is Patron of GAFSIP, founded the charity after witnessing a fatal road accident whilst holidaying in The Gambia in 1991. He has been travelling to the West African country regularly ever since and working hard to provide equipment and training for The Gambia Fire & Rescue Service – to date over 40 fire engines as well as other vital equipment have been sent from Avon to The Gambia. To find out more about the charity and how you can help visit http://gafsip.org/

Gambia Celebrates Independence Day

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

On 18th February The Gambia will celebrate its Independence Day. The Gambia officially gained independence from Britain in 1965 after 300 years of colonial rule. The day is a national holiday in The Gambia and across the world Gambians will be marking the occasion.

The event is usually celebrated in front of President Jammeh in McCarthy Square in The Gambia’s capital Banjul with a parade by school children, teachers, civil servants and the army.

Where the sun never sleeps

Katie McGonagle - East Anglia Suffolk Life Magazine — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Beautiful beaches, glorious sunshine, foods to suit every taste and a bit of culture thrown in to boot –what’s not to like about the Gambia?

More and more tourists are flocking to this hidden gem of Africa every year seeking a bit of winter sunshine at a price that won’t break the bank balance. And whether it’s the lure of a jungle adventure or a crash course in African culture – or simply lying on the beach with a cocktail and a good book – the country has everything you could ask for.

We flew into Banjul, the capital and site of the only international airport, and in no time at all, we were on a white sand beach in Kotu, in the northern tip of the country.

The Gambia’s popularity has skyrocketed with British holiday-makers in recent years and it’s not hard to see why. English is spoken everywhere – a leftover of its colonial history – and it is in the same timezone as the UK which, with its short sixhour flight, means jet lag isn’t an issue.

And as tourism grows in popularity, so too does the number of activities on offer. We particularly enjoyed a four wheel drive adventure, stopping in some of the villages to see palm wine tappers and cashew nut pickers at work, and a drive through the African bush to see monkeys, baboons and numerous species of brightly-coloured birds. These tours can be a bit hair-raising – the Gambia has only two main roads, with the rest of the trip taking place on bumpy dirt tracks which certainly weren’t for the fainthearted – but well worth it to get out of the tourist district and see a bit more of the real country.

There are some highlights, which simply can’t be missed. We got the chance to visit a Gambian school and speak to some of the children, and they even treated us to a performance of traditional African songs. And a visit to fishing village Tanji in the Western Division gave us an incredible insight into the lives of the locals, as we saw fish caught in long boats and smoked it right there on the beach.

Be prepared though – there is real poverty in some parts of the country, with about 70 per cent of the population living in mud brick houses roofed with elephant grass.

The disparity between rich and poor can be a bit of a shock to the system. The richest area, Kotu, is almost exclusively made up of ex-pat foreigners, many of whom also own the majority of businesses in the country, but it is worth remembering that each hotel worker or waiter is supporting up to 30 of his relations at home, so tourism is a really valuable commodity to the country.

For those keen to sample a bit of local life, some of the best activities include traditional drumming, a day-long Gambian cookery course and, for art lovers, a trip to the tiny village of Kubuneh.

The village is home to a fantastic collection of street art by people from all over the world as well as local Gambians, after the English owners of nearby guest house Mandina Lodges set up the first of an annual festival of street art in October.

I found walking around buildings covered in paintings of penguins drinking cocktails or birds lined up on a wire made for a slightly surreal experience, but one that shows off the wealth and diversity of cultural delights on offer and was certainly not what I expected from a tiny rural village.

The Mandina Lodges are an interesting option, comprising a series of eight large huts held up on stilts in the water. They might not be the most luxurious places to stay, but they guarantee a chance to get away from it all and be at one with nature. The forest that surrounds them, called Makasutu, was abandoned by locals a long time ago as it was believed to have been infested by demons following a tribal war.

But it now offers a unique opportunity for wildlife watching along the river, or simply relaxing in its calm and peaceful surroundings.

Hotel accommodation varies widely in both standards and prices, from the relatively basic such as Palma Rima to the ultimate luxury of spa hotel Coco Ocean and the Sheraton, the first international chain to open a hotel in the Gambia.

There is a lot of choice in between, however, with mid-range hotels such as Kombo Beach and exclusive guest houses such as Ngala Lodge and Hibiscus House, many of which are very focused on environmental sustainability.

But one of the biggest things that struck me and most visitors to the Gambia is the friendly and welcoming attitude of the locals, as waiters and hotel workers simply cannot do enough for their guests to ensure you have a pleasant stay.

Even outside the hotel district, where tourists are a rather rarer sight, the reaction was universally positive with residents happy to welcome us into their homes at a moment’s notice.

Such was the warm welcome that my arm even got tired from waving back at all the children and adults who greeted us as we passed by in our four wheel drive.

Of course for many visitors, the main attraction will be the region’s unspoilt and uncrowded beaches, offering a welcome chance to escape the British winter and relax instead under the hot African sun.

Most hotels boast their own beach while all have their own pools to allow guests a chance to cool down after a day in the sun. And with temperatures averaging 32C during the winter months and eight to ten hours of sunshine a day, it is no surprise that came as a welcome relief to many of us. Night-life is also developing quickly in the hotel district with exciting hotspots such as “The Strip” in Kololi, the liveliest part of the tourist area, offering a fantastic range of family-friendly restaurants and a mix of bars and clubs.

Although 90 per cent of Gambians are Muslim, drinking is widely accepted in tourist areas, and the country even has its own brewery making the refreshing local beer, Jul Brew.

Most night spots are easily accessible via the taxi ranks outside the hotels, although it is worth agreeing a price beforehand to avoid any nasty shocks at the end of a good night.

All in all, the Gambia is the perfect place to start for anyone new to Africa but keen to try something different this winter. With its fantastic range of activities, wonderful weather and welcoming staff, it has truly earned its reputation as “The smiling coast of Africa”.

Katie McGonagle visited as a guest of The Gambia Experience, which offers a range of deals starting at £399 for seven nights. Visit www.gambia.co.uk for more information.

Ends

Summer early booking offers

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience has early booking offers available on its summer holidays valid until 28th February including savings of up to £100 per person on all-inclusive holidays, free room upgrades and a 2nd week in a boutique hotel for just £99.

During May and June the weather is very appealing in The Gambia with maximum temperatures averaging 32°C with 9 or 10 hours of sunshine. The resorts are also quieter during summer and there are some excellent savings to take advantage of including:

£100pp of 14 nights and £50pp off 7 nights at the Sheraton Gambia Hotel in May and June on all-inclusive basis.
£50pp off holidays up to 14 nights at Kombo Beach Hotel for departures in May, June and July.
2nd week in a boutique hotel for only £99 when staying at Ngala Lodge on bed and breakfast basis from May to October.
Free room upgrades at Coco Ocean Resort and Spa from May to October.

For full details of offers see http://www.gambia.co.uk/Docs/Special-Offers/2011-Offers.aspx

New all-inclusive hotel in The Gambia

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A second hotel in The Gambia is now offering all-inclusive holidays. The **** Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel in Banjul has just introduced the all-inclusive option which is available as an upgrade for £30.50 per person per night. Children aged 12 to 16 years receive a 50% reduction on this and children under 12 upgrade free of charge if sharing a room with their parents.

The all-inclusive package includes a buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner; a selection of snacks during the day; selected drinks; and all games and sports*. Customers booking a holiday on bed & breakfast or half board basis can upgrade to all-inclusive at any point during their stay and will need to pay the hotel for the upgrade during their holiday. 7 nights bed & breakfast at the **** Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel start from £449 per person.

All-inclusive holidays are also available at the ***** Sheraton Gambia Hotel in Brufut.

*For full details of included drinks and all other details please contact reservations on 0845 330 2060 or email holidays@gambia.co.uk

Roots Festival 2011

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The 10th edition of the International Roots Home Coming Festival in The Gambia will be held between 4th & 10th February 2011. The theme of the biennial festival will be “Celebrating African Unity” and tourists are invited to take part in the events which will include the official opening ceremony and carnival held at July 22nd Square in Banjul, and a journey to the Roots Heritage Trail and the historic sites of Juffureh, Albreda and James Island.

Roots packages are available through The Gambia Experience with 7 nights starting from £449 per person and 14 nights starting from £499 per person. These prices include return flights, in-flight meals, 20 kilograms luggage allowance, transfers and accommodation based on two sharing a twin room at Palma Rima hotel on bed & breakfast basis. Prices do not include the festival registration fee – for more details of the event visit www.rootsgambia.gm

School Development Fund close to target

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

At the start of 2010 The Gambia Experience’s School Development Fund was re-launched with the aim of raising £8000 during the year. Thanks to a number of fundraising events by UK staff, donations from holidaymakers in The Gambia and contributions from the company, the Fund is close to reaching its target.

The total currently stands at £7018.84 and there are still a few outstanding donations to be added - a member of our team, who would rather stay anonymous, has recently given up smoking and has raised more than £90; customer donations in The Gambia during December are yet to be counted and there is over £150 from our UK office tuck shop still to add to the Fund. We’re hopeful we can reach the target with a little help!

If you would like to find out more about the Fund, the projects it supports or you would like to make a donation visit www.schooldevelopmentfund.org

Gambia Open & Pro-Am Golf Tournament

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

More than 50 golfers from the UK, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and Sweden competed in The Gambia Open & Pro-Am Tournament which was held between 8th & 13th December at the Fajara Golf Course.

The winner of the tournament, professional Gambian Fakebba Drammeh, received 300,000 Dalasi whilst the runners up, Sierra Leoneans Jerry Dumbuya and Robet Williams received D35,000 each.
The Gambia Golf Association (GGA) also awarded prizes for amateur men, ladies, teams, nearest the pin and longest drive.

African Adventure

Gareth Griffiths - South Wales Echo — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Gareth Griffiths travels to The Gambia for an eye-opening trip and discovers the friendliest people he's ever met

Big Hearted Gambia

Elaine Maslin - Eastern Daily Press Saturday Magazine — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Elaine Maslin finds out why The Gambia and its friendly people win over the hearts of visitors to the small African nation

Christmas in The Gambia - save on London Gatwick departures

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience is pleased to announce its Christmas & New Year holiday offers. The specialist tour operator has increased its flight capacity from London Gatwick to meet seasonal demand, in turn also offering additional Premium Class flight upgrades.
The Gambia is a popular destination to travel to during the festive season - less than six hours from the UK, with no time difference and guaranteed winter sun – it is easy to see why many holidaymakers swap time off in the UK to discover, or return to, The Gambia, Africa’s ‘smiling coast’. Christmas / New Year offers include the following, which are perfect for couples & families alike:

Departing for Christmas ~ Offers include:
Kombo Beach Hotel – save £169pp
The Gambia Experience is offering 7-night holidays at the 4-grade Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu for £849 per person, valid for departures on Tuesday 21 December and resulting in a saving of £169pp from brochure price. This price is based on two sharing a Standard Room and includes breakfast, one Christmas gala dinner, return flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers. The same package is available for Friday 24 December departures for £899 per person, resulting in a saving of £119pp from brochure price. The Kombo Beach Hotel has special events lined up for the festive season including, visiting artists and dancers from Belgium; a visit from Santa Claus; and a special Christmas Day dinner served in the Kudula restaurant.

Departing for New Year ~ Offers include:
Sunbeach Hotel – save £317pp
The Gambia Experience is offering 7-night holidays at the 4-grade Sunbeach Hotel in Cape Point for £749 per person, valid for departures on Friday 31 December and resulting in a saving of £317pp from brochure price. This price is based on two sharing a Standard Room and includes breakfast, New Year gala dinner, return flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers.

Holidays from £599 per person this Christmas / New Year
Christmas / New Year holidays with The Gambia Experience start from £599 per person for 7-nights (departing 31 December), staying at the 2-grade African Village Hotel and resulting in a saving of £248pp from brochure price. Two-week holidays during this period start from £799 per person (departing 22 December), staying at the 2-grade Palma Rima Hotel and resulting in a saving of £189pp from brochure price. These prices are based on two sharing a standard room and include breakfast, Christmas Eve / New Year’s Eve gala dinners, return flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers.
Premium Class flight upgrades are available from £375 per person over the Christmas period.
For more information and offers, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk. Please note that all offers are subject to availability.

The Smiling Coast of Africa

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Scene's Gary Caffell reports on a memorable trip to West Africa

Price Match Guarantee

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience has introduced a Price Match Guarantee for all pre-Christmas holidays. The guarantee relates to any holidays departing between 1st November and 10th December 2010 and applies to all hotels and all airports featured by the operator. This means that if you find the same holiday cheaper anywhere else, the operator will match it.

The Gambia Experience currently has some fantastic deals with prices starting from just £299 per person this November including flights and twin bed & breakfast accommodation. For more details of all special offers visit www.gambia.co.uk/specialoffers

The offer is subject to availability at the time of booking so we recommend booking as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.

Two New Property Choices added for Winter

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience, is pleased to announce the addition of two new properties to its ‘Holidays with a Difference’ portfolio.

Hibiscus House
www.gambia.co.uk/hibiscus
From November 2010, The Gambia Experience is pleased to once again feature Hibiscus House, a family-run hotel set within tropical gardens in the African village of Brufut.
Hibiscus House has an intimate feel with only eight individually designed rooms, located around the small swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Menus for lunch and dinner are inspired by both African and International cuisine, using fresh local produce.
The hotel has an excellent relationship with the local community and is happy to extend this knowledge to ensure guests get the most out of their stay.
Hotel owner and trained clinical holistic therapist, Susan Clifford-Webb, offers treatments such as Indian Head Massage, Reflexology and Reiki in the surrounds of Hibiscus House’s new Holistic Garden – treatments are open to both guests at the property, as well as visitors.
Although Hibiscus House is not directly on the beach, the hotel provides complimentary transport to and from local beaches, including the quiet Batakunku Beach, complete with local beach bar and restaurant.

Sitanunku Lodge
www.gambia.co.uk/sitanunku
Sitanunku Lodge is situated on the North Bank of the River Gambia Estuary enjoying a secluded waterfront location on the peninsular overlooking Dog Island.
This newly built lodge - opening in November 2010 - is in a slightly elevated position above the river and set within a natural forest of clusters of Baobab trees. A sandy beach is a short walk away.
There are six spacious, modern lodges in total, spaced to ensure a level of privacy and positioned so as to enjoy views of the water. Facilities include a restaurant, bar and swimming pool. Ten sea-facing lodges on the other side of the peninsular are planned for completion in 2011.
The lodge will have a special appeal for keen anglers as Dog Island is home to some of the world’s best large fish, including Atlantic Tarpon. Bait fishing and shore fishing are both available.

The complimentary use of canoes, as well as boat transfers to Dog Island and the local village of Sitanunku are included. Birdwatching walks with a local guide are also on offer, as well as mountain bikes for hire. Horse riding is planned. Sitanunku Lodge has been designed to maximise sustainable tourism measures with solar power being utilised throughout the complex. It also has its own borehole for the supply of water.

This winter 7-night holidays at Hibiscus House with breakfast start from £610pp, at Sitanunku Lodge on half board from £966 per person. Return flights from London Gatwick – Banjul, taxes and airport transfers are included within the package price. Winter regional departures are available from Bristol, Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester. Three or Four-Night add-on stays are also available from £250pp, including transfers but excluding flights.
The Gambia Experience is currently promoting its ‘Winter Offers’, valid for holidays booked by 24 October and including savings of up to £147 per person and free room upgrades. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk

AITO Travel Expo

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Come and find out more about The Gambia and other destinations available through our sister companies (Cape Verde, Senegal, Corsica, Sardinia and Short Breaks to France & Belgium) at the AITO Travel Expo. Wednesday 6th October from 6 - 8.30pm at The Science Museum in London. Entry is free and there's a glass of wine on arrival, to register email travelexpo@aito.com

You can find out more at http://www.aito.co.uk/holiday-inspirations.asp

Africa Round-Up: Step away from the binoculars

Rhiannon Batten - The Independent — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Think Africa, think safari – spotting the Big Five can seem like the only way to holiday on the continent.

Yet, there's so much more to African adventuring than walking with lions. If you're curious to explore a different side, put down those binoculars and take your pick from this diverse selection of the best new cultural trips around Africa.

Visual art fans will be tempted by Wide Open Walls. Organised by Gambia's Mandina Lodges, this eco street-art project runs from 12 to 26 October. Eight international street artists will stay at the lodges while they paint the nearby village of Kubuneh. Guests can see their handiwork – and meet the villagers involved – on day excursions to the village. Packages cost from £1,130 per person, including return flights, transfers, and seven nights' half-board (0845 330 2087; gambia.co.uk).

Book early for Tanzania Odyssey's new Zanzibar trip, timed to coincide with the Zanzibar Film Festival, from 2 to 10 July 2011. The company's 11-day itinerary includes three days of screenings in Stone Town followed by six days of beachside luxury. Prices start at £1,999 per person, including full-board, but not flights or festival tickets (020-7471 8780; tanzania odyssey.com).

Malawi's Lake of the Stars Festival runs from 15 to 17 October this year, with the Noisettes and Tinashé on the bill. Festival tickets (£75) and London to Blantyre flights (from £549) are being sold through STA Travel (0871 230 8581; lakeofstars@ statravel.co.uk).

Excursions into the Africa's rich musical seams are also promised on Dragoman's new Music & Magic of Mali tour. The 14-day itinerary takes in traditional Malian music, homestays in Dogon villages, a visit to Djenne's mud mosque and a tour of Bamako's nightclubs. Trips cost from £827 per person, including transport, camping and meals, but not flights (01728 861133; dragoman.com).

Songlines is launching a tour along less travelled musical paths next March with its Sounds of Addis trips. Taking in the Ethiopian Music Festival, as well as more general sightseeing, these 10-day itineraries cost from £1,995 per person, including B&B, entry to selected music events and sightseeing, but not flights (020-8505 2582; songlines.co.uk).

If your feet are itching to walk rather than dance, Village Ways is launching new trips in Ethiopia's remote Tigray province next month. Prices haven't been set, but its existing Ethiopian trips start at about £860 per person for 10 nights, with guiding and full-board, but not flights (01223 750049; villageways.com).

Similarly co-operative gatherings are promised on Undiscovered Destinations' new Nuba People and Villages tour through central Sudan. The 15 days encompass nights in wild camps and insights into local customs. Full-board prices start at £2,850 per person, without flights (0191-296 2674; undiscovered-destinations.com).

To Escape To's eight-night Northern Namibia – Himba Culture trips include two nights at Okahirongo River Camp, which opened last month. Guests are encouraged to visit a local Himba village to discover cultural traditions at first hand. Trips start at £2,450 per person, including flights, car hire and accommodation (020-7060 6747; toescapeto.com).

Responsible trips at more affordable prices are the stock in trade of Down to Earth Holidays, a new initiative from Tribes Travel launching in October. Highlights of its new seven-day Cape Town & Winelands tours include lunch in a traditional township restaurant, a homestay in Stellenbosch, a "wine, cheese and chocolate" tour and an optional evening jazz safari in Cape Town. Prices start from £720 per person, including accommodation and some meals, but not flights (01728 685971; down-to-earth-holidays.com).

Also in South Africa, Travel by Design is running new Flavours of the Cape trips. These start in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town, where you can learn how to make a traditional Cape Malay lunch, before heading up the coast for seafood, vineyard tours and traditional South African braais (barbecue). Seven-day trips cost from £2,460 per person, including flights, transfers, B&B and some meals (01932 844644; travelbydesign.co.uk).

More specialist skills are on offer in Mozambique. Here, Bridge & Wickers' new Ibo Island Jewellery Experience combines silversmithing lessons with snorkelling and boat trips. Five-night stays cost from £780 per person, including transfers, activities and full-board, but not flights (020-7483 6555; bridgeadwickers .co.uk). Or you could sign up to Audley Travel's Learning How to Be a Samburu Warrior trip in Kenya and try everything from using a bow and arrow to foraging for medicinal plants. New this year is the chance to walk with Kalama warriors, who sing while they walk. Rates start at £3,850 per person for a six-day holiday, including flights, activities and full-board (01993 838500; audleytravel.com).

Other active options include Sports Development Expeditions with Camps International. Volunteers spend a month coaching schools football, netball, athletics and (new for next year) hockey, as well as constructing school and community sports facilities. Prices start at £1,675 per person, including full-board but not flights (0844 800 1127; camps international.com).

Rainbow Tours offers a visit the new TribeWanted project in Sierra Leone, a partnership project where visitors can live alongside the locals, helping to develop a sustainable village. Seven-night trips cost from £1,495 per person, including flights, accommodation and most meals (020-7226 1004; rainbowtours.co.uk).

Finally, if you're short of time, try Fleewinter's Souks and Skiing minibreaks, which launch in February 2011 and combine two nights in Marrakech with a day in the Atlas mountains. Trips cost from £295 per person, including flights, transfers and B&B (020-7112 019; fleewinter.com).

Gambian Pupils Send Message to The Pope’s Big Assembly

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Children at the St John Vianney School in The Gambia watched pupils from Holy Cross Primary School in Plymouth meet Pope Benedict XVI on Friday via a live screen link. Eight youngsters from Holy Cross Primary took to the stage at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham last week as part of the Pope’s Big Assembly. The Devonshire school has links with the Gambian school and its pupils presented the Pope with gifts made by the children in The Gambia, including a stole which the Pope placed around his neck.

3,500 children from across the UK attended the Pope’s Big Assembly in Twickenham which lasted two hours. Pupils from the St John Vianney School in The Gambia also sent a message to thank the students of Holy Cross School for their support and for teaching them about their lives.

Where to Bag an Autumn Holiday Bargain

Martin Symington - The Daily Mail — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

THE GAMBIA

A week in West Africa, staying at a reasonable hotel on the beach all for a little over £300. Amazing! Good and varied restaurants are nearby, where you can feast on delicious fresh fish and cold beer for less than a fiver each under cloudless skies.

THE DEAL: The Gambia Experience offer seven nights B&B at the four-star Ocean Bay Hotel, departing on Tuesday, September 14, and September 21, or October 12 and 29, for £329. Includes flights from Gatwick and transfers (0845 330 2060, gambia.co.uk).

Kololi in Lastminute.com’s Top 10

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Kololi in The Gambia is one of the top 10 holiday destinations featured on Lastminute.com according to a list published in last weekend’s Observer. Kololi is the biggest resort in The Gambia with a couple of streets of bars and restaurants, although it remains much more low key than many other destinations. There are two great hotels here directly on the beach – the 5* Kairaba and 3+* Senegambia – plus a few others within easy reach: the deluxe Coco Ocean and Coconut Residence, plus 2* Sarge’s Hotel.

The Gambia Experience has some excellent savings available on holidays in the next few weeks. For example: a week at the 5*Kairaba for £329 – a saving of over £200. For more details see our late deals page.

The Gambia to host Eco Street Art Event

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu forest are pleased to announce that they will be hosting ‘Wide Open Walls’, an eco street art project scheduled to take place in The Gambia 12 – 26 October 2010. ‘Wide Open Walls’ will see the Mandina Lodges welcome eight top street artists from around the world: London-based graphic artist, Eelus http://eelus.com/ is the designated ‘curator’ of project and will be joined by the following artists: Logan Hicks, Christian Guemy (C215), Will Barras, Broken Crow (John Girder & Mike Fitzsimmons), Lucy McLauchlan and Ben Eine.

The purpose of ‘Wide Open Walls’ is to paint the village of Kubuneh, which the artists will travel to by boat along the River Gambia directly from Makasutu. Kubuneh is part of the Ballabu Conservation Project, the ongoing green endeavour by UK owners of Makasutu, Lawrence Williams and James English. The concept of the Ballabu Conservation Project is to create an 85sq kilometre conservation area, incorporating 14 Gambian villages, which, in time, will become self-sustaining. The Eden Project - introducing its Gardens for Life scheme to The Gambia - is an active supporter of both the Ballabu Conservation Project and ‘Wide Open Walls’.

Lawrence Williams of Makasutu – who has been to art college, as well as being qualified as an architect - has the Village Elders’ blessing for the street art event and is delighted that his vision is now coming together:
“A couple of years ago I started working with the renowned Gambian artist Njogu Touray on a street art project under the name of ‘Bushdwellers’. This involved our painting walls in the villages around Makasutu and then moving on to paint canvasses during the rainy season. The fact that this has now progressed to become ‘Wide Open Walls’ is such a triumph - I cannot wait to see such talented artists join together in what is a very unique way.”

Exclusive to The Gambia Experience and part of the specialist’s ‘Luxury Collection’, The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu are situated on a tributary of the River Gambia in the heart of the African bush. Expert guides are available at no extra cost to help guests explore the wildlife-rich 1000-acre forest, both on foot and by canoe through the mangroves.
For those who are not holidaying in one of the eight lodges, the tour operator offers day trips to Makasutu as an excursion option. It is expected that ‘Wide Open Walls’ will also become an excursion choice in its own right, inviting holidaymakers to view the art and also explore the Ballabu villages and meet the locals. ’Wide Open Walls’ is actively supported by key bodies within resort, including the Gambia Tourism Authority.

For more information about the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk
For more information and interviews regarding ‘Wide Open Walls’, please visit www.thegambiablog.co.uk

Squad Named for African Nations Qualifier

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia’s Belgian football coach, Paul Put, has named his squad for the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier against Namibia at home this Saturday. Included in the squad are 20 players who play in Europe and America and just three who are based in The Gambia.

Momodou Ceesay returns to the squad after his recent form with Slovakian champions MSK Zilina who are into the UEFA Champions League group stage for the fist time. Kebba Ceesay and Mamadou Futty Danso have been called-up for the first time as the team looks to bring through young players. The full squad is:

Pa Dembo Touray
Musa Camara
Cristopher Allen
Kebba Ceesay
Mamadou Futty Danso
Abdou Jammeh
Omar Jawo
Pa Saikou Kujabi
Alagie Sosseh
Abdou Njie
Ebrima Sohna
Tijan Jaiteh
Muhammed Mbye
Mustapha Toubabo Jarju
Dawda Bah
Sainey Nyassi
Sanna Nyassi
Abdoulie Kenny Mansally
Cherno Samba
Ousman Jallow
Momodou Ceesay
Njogu Demba
Aziz Corr Nyang

Return to Gambia

Tony Knight - Compass Magazine — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia on GMTV This Week

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience is pleased to announce that two of its Luxury Collection properties - Coco Ocean Resort & Spa and the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu - will be featured as the competition prize on GMTV this week (on air 30 August – 03 September). The lucky winner will win a 14-night half board holiday for six to the Coco Ocean Resort & Spa, with a private day excursion to Makasutu included in the prize. In addition to this, the winner will receive £5,000 in cash, as well as flight upgrades where applicable, private airport transfers and two complimentary spa treatments each to enjoy during their hotel stay.

Coco Ocean Resort & Spa
Since opening in December 2008, Coco Ocean Resort & Spa - occupying a prime elevated position on an unspoilt beach in Bijilo - has been successful in attracting new clientele to The Gambia. Moorish architecture, swaying palms, tropical gardens and stylish interior design combine to provide the perfect setting for a deluxe holiday to remember. The 1800sq metre spa facility is an integral part of Coco Ocean Resort & Spa and is the first of its kind in The Gambia, its signature treatment being the Moroccan Hammam treatment.

The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu
The award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu are set within a 1000-acre forest on a tributary of the River Gambia. Guests can choose from Floating, Stilted or Jungle Lodges, and are allocated a complimentary personal guide, on hand to help them discover the bush on foot, observe wildlife and explore the river by pirogue. Makasutu can be booked as a holiday in itself, or as an add-on to a stay at a coastal hotel, and promises an enchanting experience of authentic Gambia.

The Gambia Experience director, Chris Ayling said:
“We hope that the breakfast television coverage of The Gambia will raise awareness as to what the destination is able to offer and encourage new clients to holiday there. In addition to offering a great range of 2* to 5* hotels, there are wonderful boutique and eco properties, plus a wide range of fantastic restaurants. The Gambia Experience brochure includes an exclusive ‘Luxury Collection’, available to book with upgraded flights and private transfers.”

This winter, The Gambia Experience offers 7-nights bed & breakfast at the Coco Ocean Resort & Spa from £946 per person and 7-nights half board at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu from £1096 per person. Both are based on two sharing and include return flights London Gatwick – Banjul, taxes and transfers. The Gambia Experience lead-in for this winter is 7-nights from £399 per person. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk

Banjul Airport listed in The Observer’s Top Ten

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Banjul International Airport in The Gambia featured in The Observer on Sunday in an article by Rowan Moore entitled “The 10 best airports” alongside other renowned architectural designs such as Santos Dumont in Rio de Janeiro, Dulles Washington DC, Kansai Osaka, Charles de Gaulle in Paris and Changi in Singapore.

Journalist Rowan Moore says of Banjul Airport:
“Banjul Airport, Gambia, wins a prize for its sheer indifference to all the usual clichés and conventions of airport design. True, it goes like many others for something a bit wing-like, but the gratuitous projections at its sides are nothing like the swoops of Saarinen or Piano. It also goes, for no particular reason, for an arch in its centre with a bigger inverted arch above. A tongue-like canopy then sticks out from the mouth-like arch. The work of the Senegalese Pierre Goudiaby Atepa, its main design principle would appear to be to do stuff for the sheer hell of it.”

To read the article in full visit The Guardian website: www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/aug/15/10-best-airports-rowan-moore#history-link-box

Go Birding in The Gambia

Ron Toft - The Travel Editor — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Holidaymakers fly to The Gambia in West Africa for a variety of reasons, not least to soak up the sunshine and experience the local culture. But to one group of Brits, birdwatchers, the main attraction is the country's feathered inhabitants. The Gambia, in fact, is a veritable mecca for birds, boasting more than 540 species.

Some birders, especially those travelling with their families, restrict their binocular and telescope-laden forays to the hours just after dawn or just before dusk. But for the really dedicated, who travel on their own or with fellow enthusiasts, it's birds, birds and more birds virtually all day, every day. It's amazing, for example, just how many species can be spotted from the comfort of a shady resort bar or sun lounger!

Some birders, especially the well travelled and more experienced, fly to The Gambia on their own and make their own way to the avian hotspots. For those, however, who don't like travelling on their own in a strange country, and don't really know where the birding hotspots are located, everything can be left in the capable hands of The Gambia Experience which organises several birding trips every year. One of those trips, in February, is led by none other than globetrotting TV naturalist and all-round nice guy Chris Packham.

Chris, whom I have known for about 20 years, often visits The Gambia and is, therefore, extremely knowledgeable about what birds can be seen and where they can be seen. The supplement for the three-day trip taking place from 4 to 7 February 2011 is £325. You could also book an additional three-night stay on a half-board basis at Mandina Lodges in Makasutu Forest for £495. A word of warning though: Chris' trips are very popular and your name may have to go on a waiting list. Other birding trips organised by The Gambia Experience make use of the services of local guide Malick Suso, whom Chris regards as one of the best bird guides in the whole of The Gambia.

What makes The Gambia so special in birding terms? "It's great for enthusiasts and for an introduction to West African bird life in general," writes Chris in The Gambia Experience's new holiday brochure.

"Maybe it's the place that all good birders go to when they lay down their binoculars and complete their life lists!"

He added: "Just last year (2009) my daughter and I spent a day aboard a luxurious catamaran at the mouth of the River Gambia. As a pod of eight dolphins splashed beneath the bows, a goliath heron was after the fish we'd caught and an osprey flew overhead. All this whilst sipping an ice-cold G&T. What's not to love?"

Indeed. I shall be returning to The Gambia in December 2010 and reporting on my birding and other experiences within the pages of It's A Wild World.

More Flights added to meet demand for October Half Term

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience is pleased to announce it has secured additional flights between Gatwick and Banjul, to meet demand for holidays in The Gambia, over the October half term. In addition to its existing twice-weekly Gatwick departures, the tour operator is offering extra flights with Monarch Airlines on board a Boeing 757 aircraft for departures 22 and 29 October.

The Gambia Experience’s commercial manager, Paul Kenny said:
“We have filled our allocation on the existing Viking flight on October 22nd, so thanks to these additional flights, holidaymakers wanting to travel at this time will now not be disappointed.”

The Gambia is an attractive holiday choice for many families as it’s outside of the euro zone, within six hours of London and on the same time zone. Not only is it ideal for a winter sun holiday with its vast sandy beaches and superb climate, but it is also an excellent and safe place to learn about different people and new cultures. Having the opportunity to visit a school and meet Gambian children with a different lifestyle, or to observe a monkey or baboon in their natural habitat, can provide both a stimulating and educational experience.

The Gambia Experience offers a wide ranging choice of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets including: family friendly beachfront hotels, intimate boutique style properties where the emphasis is on service and privacy, luxury spa resorts, as well as adult-only properties – perfect for teachers and other professionals tied to the half term holiday. The tour operator offers twice-weekly flights from Gatwick year round and regional departures during the winter season which include: Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and new from December, Stansted.

Prices are from £735 per person based on seven nights bed & breakfast at Atlantic Beach, a 4 -grade beachfront hotel, with swimming pool and separate children’s pool, two jacuzzis and children’s playground. This price includes return Gatwick – Banjul flight departing 22 October, in-flight meal, transfers, airport taxes and government tourist levy. Extra legroom seats are also available from £60 per person return.

Get away to The Gambia

Rosa Monckton - The Mail on Sunday — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It is 45 years since The Gambia became independent, and the celebrations to mark this event coincided with my family's visit to the country. Across the aisle from me on a crammed Monarch Airlines flight from London to the Gambian capital Banjul, incongruously surrounded by bearded and sandalwearing bird-watchers, sat the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, studying her itinerary intently. I wondered if she was visiting the country to take part in the celebrations, as some relic of the colonial past that The Gambia had left behind.

We were staying at The Coco Ocean Resort in Bijilo, a 15-minute drive from Banjul. It is a haven from the hustle and hassle of daily Gambian life. If you choose, you can spend your days in the resort's elegant grounds, lounge by the pools and gaze out over the beach to the crashing Atlantic waves. The rooms and villas are cool and comfortable, and there is a restaurant built just above the ocean where you can eat lunch and escape the midday sun.

But we chose to use The Coco Ocean as a base camp, somewhere gloriously luxurious to which to return after our many excursions and adventurous dinners (I can recommend a Lebanese restaurant called Al Basha in nearby Kololi, and a particularly good seaside bistro called The Sailor in Kotu).

We spent one morning walking around the market in Serrekunda, The Gambia's largest town. The hubbub and constant motion are in sharp contrast to the elegant ladies in blinding colours selling their wares. And it is the women who are the most important here - they are called Boss Lady. When we were negotiating to buy a multi-coloured raffia basket, the man running the stall said: 'I must ask the Boss Lady.' She was fast asleep under the table. Heavily pregnant, she emerged with feline ease, struck a deal with us, and then crawled back from whence she'd come.
My daughter Domenica was astonished by the way all the women carried everything on their heads, from vast sacks of potatoes to impossibly large steel containers overflowing with vegetables and fruit. Many had babies tied to their backs too, and all swayed along with marvellous natural rhythm and innate grace. Only once did we see men carrying things on their heads - and this appeared to be rubbish contained in black plastic sacks. Domenica thought it would be a good way for her father to do the same thing. I readily agreed.

That evening, we visited the Bijilo Forest, next to the resort, and were lucky to see several monkeys, even glimpsing an elusive colobus swinging high in the branches. Green monkeys were far more curious, following us around and allowing us to get very close. Seeing two of them sitting side by side on a log, with their feet on the ground and their beady eyes missing nothing, they looked for all the world like any old couple perched on a park bench. It was a true Darwinian moment. There were several of the strange, upside-down-looking baobab trees in the forest, which are thought to have magical properties and which survive for hundreds of years because of their ability to store rainwater in their trunks. Our guide told us that the fruit from the tree could be made into a drink with an extremely high alcoholic content - a few sips could make you 'see all the way to England!' Meandering back from the forest, we came across a group of drum-beating locals surrounding an adolescent boy dressed in white. Then we spotted two other men dancing manically by the side of the road. They wore weird, brightly coloured fringed costumes, with masks over their faces, and they brandished a curved knife in each hand. Sometimes they dashed in front of cars, flashing the knives. Our driver told us this was a circumcision ceremony, which takes place when a boy is between ten and 12 years old. Only recently has the actual circumcision been done in hospital. Perhaps boys in the past could have done with the anaesthetic qualities of whatever alcoholic drink can be made from the baobab tree!

The music from the ceremony enthused Domenica, so the following day we went to the market in the town of Bakau in search of a musical instrument. There we encountered a man known as Mr No Problem, his name writ large on a sign above his stall. Mr No Problem and Domenica became instant friends, and after an impromptu jamming session she became the proud owner of a bongo drum and a giant seed pod, with her name written on it in black paint and shoe polish, to rattle as an accompaniment. My eldest daughter Savannah found the perfect gifts for her closest girlfriends: three carved monkeys in the classic see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil format. I didn't ask.

After so many excursions, we chose to spend the next day at the hotel, on the beach and in the spa. Until the opening of luxury hotels such as the Coco Ocean and its sister venue, the Coconut Residence, The Gambia was known primarily for cheap package deals and as a holiday destination for bird-watchers. The Coco Ocean Group is co-owned by a local man, Farid Bensouda, and a German called Walter Loehn. Farid is the interior designer and Walter the architect, and theirs is an inspired partnership. Having visited one or two other hotels in the country, I would say they have certainly created an oasis in a hinterland of dubious taste. The landscaping at the Coco Ocean is perfect. Within the grounds is a vast vegetable garden run with immense pride by Moor Faal - the delicious produce is served in the hotel's three restaurants.

There are other bonuses that The Gambia offers British visitors: the flight takes only six hours, there is no time difference, and the sun shines all year round. What's not to like?

The hotel spa is spectacular, with treatment rooms overlooking the ocean. I had a hammam - an exfoliating session in a Moroccan-inspired steam room - while Savannah had a back massage. I only wish that instead of piped music we could have listened to the roar of the ocean. It's ironic that in many city spas you have to listen to taped ocean music. What is wrong with the real thing when it is right outside your window?

No trip to The Gambia would be complete without spending a day on the River Gambia, so we set off on the hotel boat, a pirogue, accompanied by Lamin, one of the hotel chefs. During the trip we ate probably the most delicious food of our week. It was so delicious that it didn't matter in the least that our boat broke down - or that the crucial spare part required to mend the engine disappeared into the river after being thrown from a neighbouring boat. We were much too busy enjoying our fish marinaded in ginger, coriander, oyster sauce and chilli. When the fault was finally fixed, we went to the fishing port of Tanji and a nearby village. It was like a journey to a past century. The fishing continues as it has for aeons, with the smokery under a hut on the beach, amid the clamorous noise of gulls and children. The villagers, meanwhile, live in one-room houses and have no running water.

Our last day was Independence Day, and the president of a neighbouring African country arrived at our hotel with his entourage. The red carpet was laid out as his vast cavalcade approached, drums rolled and dancers in splendid costumes put on a marvellous performance. For a few glorious moments, it was like being in a scene from Evelyn Waugh's Scoop.
I looked out for the Lord Lieutenant, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Travel Facts
Specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience (0845 330 2087, www.gambia.co.uk) offers seven nights at The Coco Ocean Resort & Spa, part of The Gambia Experience Luxury Collection, from £989pp. This includes B&B accommodation in a junior suite, a complimentary foot massage and return flights from Gatwick. Departures from other airports are also available.

Experience The Gambia this Winter

Ron Toft - The Travel Editor — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Looking for somewhere different to go to during the UK's often utterly miserable and depressing winter months? If so, make tracks for The Gambia on West Africa's so-called Smiling Coast.

This small country not only offers plenty of sunshine from October to April, when our weather tends to be at its worst, but flights are not overly long (five-and-a-half to six hours), there is no jet lag, the people are extremely friendly and there are lots of things to do - from relaxing on the beach with a drink and a good book to becoming immersed in the local culture, watching birds and catching fish.

When Fareham, Hampshire-based Serenity Holidays launched The Gambia Experience in 1987, the number of weekly bookings was only around 20 a week. Now between 800 and 850 holidaymakers pack their bags and head to the small capital of Banjul every week during Gambia's hot, dry winter season when the UK has little to offer apart from frost, snow, rain and often gale-force winds.

Serenity, the destination specialist as far as The Gambia is concerned, has enjoyed various growth phases as far as bookings to this delightful West African country are concerned. The first, in the early 90s, was when the company introduced summer holidays to try to encourage year-round tourism in The Gambia. The second, in the mid-90s, was when Serenity started its premium class service. And the third, in the late 90s, was when the business launched the first of its regional services.

"Having travelled and lived abroad extensively, I always get asked for holiday recommendations by friends and relatives," said Chris Rowles, managing director of Serenity Holidays.
"The question, ‘Will I like it?' fills me with slight dread, as holidays are very individual and what one person loves another avoids. However, over the years my parents, brother, sister, wife and young children, plus numerous friends, have all travelled to The Gambia. Each has fallen in love with the region.

"Most commonly mentioned is the opportunity to experience African culture first hand, mixing with some of the friendliest people on the planet, unforgettable moments visiting local schools, the wide choice of restaurants and, of course, the wonderful sunshine. The fact that there's no jet lag to deal with is a huge bonus."

Chris, who still travels to the region several times a year, went on to say that he has stayed in virtually every Gambia hotel featured by Serenity and personally visits each one at least twice a year.

The Gambia Experience operates two flights a week to Banjul from London Gatwick all year round. Capacity is boosted throughout the winter with flights from Manchester and Birmingham and from December to March with flights from Bristol and Stansted (new this year).

Various packages are offered by Serenity, including two-centre holidays to The Gambia and the Cape Verde Islands. The company is also a Senegal holiday specialist.

"Special interest holidays, such as birdwatching and big game fishing, are becoming increasingly popular," added Chris. "More and more UK birdwatchers are discovering the avian delights of The Gambia, while big game fishermen love pitting their skills against tiger fish and tarpon. In fact, The Gambia is renowned for some of the world's biggest tarpon.

"Every year, in late October or early November, there is also a beach fishing competition which normally attracts 120 fishermen from England and Ireland.

"Yes, there really is something for everyone in The Gambia."

The Gambia Experience offers seven-night holidays from £495 per person. Luxury Collection holidays to The Gambia start from £789.

Gambia Olympics Training Camp in York

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambian Olympic team will train in York prior to the London 2012 Olympics. The Executive Director of the Gambian Olympic Committee, Lawrence Bruce, was in York last month to sign an agreement at the city’s Mansion House and also take a tour of the city’s facilities including Huntington Stadium, York College, University of York and York Community Gymnastics Club.

Gambia made its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, and at the last Olympics in Beijing there were three participants from The Gambia, two sprinters and a boxer, but the country has yet to win its first medal.

York is hoping to sign up other West African nations to its training camp including Senegal, Burkino Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea and Niger.

NEW Charity Website Launched

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience has launched a new website for its School Development Fund which has been raising money for schools in The Gambia for over 20 years but has undergone a revamp this year with a big push for additional fundraising. The Gambia Experience donates money to the Fund for every 100 holiday questionnaires it receives from customers, plus matches donations made by holidaymakers. This year the fund is hoping to raise £8000 to pay for essential building work at two lower basic schools. For more details on previous and current projects, more about the Fund and how you can help visit http://www.schooldevelopmentfund.org/

Gambian Football Tournament Announced

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Despite not qualifying for the World Cup, The Gambia is a nation of football lovers and a five-day tournament has been announced by the president of the Gambia Football Association, Mr Seedy Kinteh. The tournament ‘The President Trophy’ will be held between 13th and 17th July and is being organised in conjunction with The Gambian consulate in Spain. International football scouts have been invited to the event and it is hoped it will benefit young Gambian players looking to play overseas as teams will be only be permitted to play under 20s.

NEW: The Gambia Experience 2010/11 Brochure

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience launches its November 2010 – October 2011 brochure next week. The new-look brochure now incorporates sister company, The Senegal Experience, due to increased interest in twin-centre holidays between the two destinations.

With 23 years experience of organising holidays to West Africa, The Gambia Experience and The Senegal Experience offer the widest range of flight and accommodation options to the UK market.
A variety of hotels are featured with descriptions of each property’s suitability for certain clientele, with ‘Personal Experiences’ from customers, staff and the media added to enhance this content.
Each destination contains its own Luxury Collection, much of which is exclusive and some of which now include spa facilities.

Flight Update: New Stansted departure to Banjul / Twin Centres with Cape Verde
The Gambia Experience offers twice weekly and year-round London Gatwick departures direct to Banjul and exclusively offers the opportunity to upgrade to a Premium Class flight service.
The tour operator is pleased to announce a new departure point to Banjul for 2010/11: Stansted. The Stansted – Banjul route will operate on a Tuesday between December 2010 – March 2011, and with the flight via Boa Vista on the outbound, twin-centre holidays with Cape Verde will become possible. A Bristol – Banjul route will operate during the same period on a Friday, but via Boa Vista on the inbound, also allowing twin-centre holidays with Cape Verde. Twice-weekly Manchester and weekly Birmingham departures direct to Banjul will operate during the winter season.

The Senegal Experience offers twice-weekly scheduled flights with Brussels Airlines to Dakar from five UK airports - including London Heathrow – all via Brussels.

Multi-Centre Holidays – Inspiring Hotel Combinations
For the first time, The Gambia Experience has presented sample hotel combinations within its brochure to provide inspiration as to the scope of twin or multi-centre holidays. This can be within The Gambia or Senegal or combining the two countries. Suggested themed breaks include: Gambian Coast & Wilderness; Gambian Lodges; Discover The Real Africa; and the Luxurious Spas of The Gambia and Senegal. Courtesy of the new Boa Vista routes, Cape Verde may also be incorporated. The Senegal Experience also offers private Tours of Senegal with a driver / guide.

All-Inclusive Update
As from January 2010, all-inclusive holidays became available in The Gambia at the 5* Sheraton Gambia Hotel in Brufut. This new option has been well received and has attracted new clientele to the country. All-inclusive holidays are also available in Senegal at the 4* Royal Decameron Baobab Resort, as well as at two hotels within The Cape Verde Experience, Boa Vista collection. Alternatively, a ‘Wine & Dine’ package has since been introduced at the 5* Kairaba Hotel in Kololi and the 4* Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu now offers a ‘Dine-Around’ package.

Birdwatching with Chris Packham
BBC presenter Chris Packham returns to The Gambia in February 2011 to lead Birdwatching Tours for Gambia Experience customers. There is a choice of a three-day tour, as well as a three-night option with accommodation incorporated at the award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu. Full itineraries and prices are available by visiting www.gambia.co.uk/chrispackham
New for 2010/11, The Gambia Experience is offering three additional Birdwatching Tours with Malick Suso - Chris Packham’s choice of local guide. For more information, visit www.gambia.co.uk/birdwatching

Sustainable Tourism Update
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5-star AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) Sustainable Tourism status - the highest level possible. The Gambia Experience’s School Development Fund will be re-launched this summer with a new website and will aim to raise additional money for two building projects in The Gambia. For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/schools

Early Booking Offers
A number of Early Booking Offers are available, valid for holidays booked by 10 July 2010. These include savings of up to £180 per person, 4 nights for the price of 3, and 11 nights for the price of 7. This season, The Gambia Experience offers 7-night holidays from £495 per person; The Senegal Experience from £879 per person. Luxury Collection holidays start from £789 (Gambia) and £1098 (Senegal) - all including flights & transfers. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Senegal Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 338 8706 or visit www.senegal.co.uk

Save over £200 on all-inclusive holidays

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience has slashed prices for all holidays to the 5* Sheraton Gambia Hotel this June. A week’s all-inclusive holiday at The Sheraton Gambia Hotel now costs just £699 in June, a saving of up to £170. 10 and 11 night breaks are also reduced and now cost £849 – a saving of up to £217. 14 night holidays are available for £999 – saving up to £179. Flights depart on both Tuesdays and Fridays from Gatwick; to book telephone 0845 330 2060 or book online at www.gambia.co.uk

Jermaine Jackson to Perform at Kanilai Festival

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The fifth Kanilai International Cultural Festival has opened in Kanilai, The Gambia. The two-week event is held in the birthplace of President Jammeh and is a celebration of Gambian and African culture with music, dance and drama; the event is open to all races and religions with visitors expected from around the world. This year’s events is anticipated to be the biggest ever with Jermaine Jackson set to perform to a special audience of 4,000 people on 31st May as a tribute to his late brother Michael Jackson.

New photographs of The Gambia book

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A photojournalist who travelled to The Gambia last year has produced a book of some of his favourite images. You can order copies of the book by Simon Galloway online at www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1231067 and see previews of some of the featured images. Prices start from £10.95 for a soft cover book.

Slice of life in a narrow sliver of a country

Roger St Pierre - The Wharf — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tour Operator praise for response to volcanic ash disruptions

The Gambia Experience - Press Office — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Leading tour operator, The Gambia Experience has created a Testimonials page for its website - http://www.gambia.co.uk/IcelandVolcano - following the volume of positive client feedback it has received for its handling of the volcanic air plume disruptions.

In terms of its package holiday customers, the award-winning specialist was able to act efficiently, courtesy of an experienced resort team located in The Gambia. At the height of the chaos, holidaymakers remained in the hotels that they had originally booked on a minimum of half-board. On Tuesday 20 April, all customers, bar those booked in Luxury Collection properties, were moved to the 4* Kombo Beach Hotel on full-board (an upgrade for the majority). Having affected clientele in the one property enabled The Gambia Experience to communicate more effectively, as well as be better poised for swift airport transfers.

Those holidaymakers in The Gambia who were due to return 16 or 20 April were able to fly back to London Gatwick as soon as the ban was lifted on Thursday 22 April, thanks to The Gambia Experience having two empty Monarch aircraft ready in Banjul to bring them home. The Gambia Experience Friday and Tuesday London Gatwick – Banjul routes resumed normal service on Friday 23 April. The Gambia Experience customers due to return to Birmingham or Manchester on Thomas Cook flights were similarly taken care of - The Gambia Experience offering flight seats back to London Gatwick on Friday 23 April, before facilitating coach transport onwards to Birmingham and Manchester Airports.

In addition to praise from its customers, The Gambia Experience has also received thanks from Travel Agents, as The Gambia Experience – part of Serenity Holidays Ltd – has an active relationship with the Trade. National media on press trips also took the opportunity to post extra stories online - The Daily Telegraph, travelling with The Gambia Experience, favourably coining its article: ‘Iceland Volcano: Stranded in Paradise’.

The Gambia Experience managing director, Chris Rowles comments:
“The Gambia Experience has been operating for over twenty years and has a genuine duty of care towards its customers, many of whom are repeat-bookers. We - like many other specialist, independent operators at this time - hope to have demonstrated how the repatriation of our holidaymakers was of top priority.”

The Gambia Experience is a trade name of Serenity Holidays Ltd, a fully bonded operator under ATOL 1866 and a member of ABTA, IATA and AITO.

* One of the many quotes from The Gambia Experience clients. See Testimonials page for more.

Gambia: The Perfect Break

Oliver Smith - The Daily Telegraph — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Why Go?.....
Just an hour and a half beyond the Canaries, Africa's smallest mainland country is a world away from your typical spring holiday destination, and offers sandy beaches, fabulous wildlife and virtually guaranteed sunshine.
About 50,000 Britons arrive here every year, but the majority come during the winter, so visit in the next few weeks (the rainy season begins in June) and you will not only be rewarded with warm, dry weather, but also empty beaches and low rates.
The Atlantic Coast resorts of Kololi, Kotu, Fajara and Bakau have a wide range of accommodation and restaurants, and the surrounding area provides plenty of opportunities for bird watching, fishing, and absorbing the local culture. What's more, Gambia's official language is English, it lies in the same time zone as the UK, and the locals are among the friendliest people you'll ever meet.

Get there by...
Plane. Charter flights from London Gatwick serve tiny Banjul International Airport on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the year. Book through Gambia Experience (0845 330 2060; www.gambia.co.uk).

Stay at…
The Coco Ocean Resort and Spa (00220 446 6500; www.cocoocean.com; seven nights' b&b from £553 per person). Fifteen minutes from the airport, and a mile south of Kololi, this is the place to stay on the Atlantic Coast. The sprawling resort features stunning gardens, beautiful rooms with sea views, striking Moorish arches and domes, and a fantastic spa, while the menu at the hotel's courtyard restaurant is as good as you'll find anywhere in Gambia. Jermaine Jackson and sports presenter Mark Bright both stayed here recently.
Alternatives include the Coconut Residence (00220 446 1858; www.coconutresidence.com; seven nights' b&b from £483), a slightly faded but elegant colonial-style hotel a few miles from the beaches of Kololi, and Fajara's cliff-top Ngala Lodge (00220 449 4045; www.ngalalodge.com; seven nights' b&b from £389), where every suite has its own Jacuzzi. All three hotels can be booked through Gambia Experience (see above). Three night breaks are also available.

Spend the morning...
Admiring the wildlife. The Bijilo Forest Park (00220 999 6343; admission 30 Gambian dalasi/£0.75), close to Kololi, is home to red colobus and green vervet monkeys, and well over 100 species of birds, including vultures, falcons, sunbirds, bee-eaters and hornbills.
On arrival, you'll almost certainly be approached by one or more unofficial "guides", who'll offer to show you around for a small fee (perhaps GMD100/£2.40). Peanut sellers can also be found at the entrance, although feeding the monkeys is discouraged. You can hire an official guide, or simply explore on your own (the paths are marked).
Farther afield, the Abuko Nature Reserve (00220 437 5888; admission GMD35/£0.90) – some seven miles from Kololi – contains more than 250 bird species, 52 mammal species, pythons, cobras and Nile crocodiles. A taxi to the reserve should cost around GMD400/£10 there and back, including waiting time.

Have lunch at...
One of the bars on Kotu Beach, the region's most picturesque strip of sand, where you can enjoy fresh fish and fruit juice. Further south, Solomon's Beach Bar (00220 446 0716; Palma Rima Road, Kololi) is a popular venue for reggae, seafood and Julbrew (the local lager), while the Coco Beach Restaurant at the Coco Ocean Resort (see above), serves tasty salads and snacks.
If you're in Banjul (see below), grab a shawarma (grilled lamb in pitta bread) at Ali Baba's Snack Bar (00220 422 4055; Nelson Mandela Street), just south of Albert Market.

Spend the afternoon...
Escaping the cotton-wool cocoon of your beachside hotel with a day-trip to Gambia's small and sleepy capital, Banjul. It is everything you might expect of an African city, with ramshackle buildings, street vendors hawking unidentifiable meats, roadside welders and even the occasional donkey cart. Chaotic Albert Market, to the east of the city, sells just about everything, from replica football tops to handmade jewellery, and is well worth a visit – but look after your valuables and expect the hard sell.
Escape the heat at the quaint National Museum (00220 422 6244; www.ncac.gm; Independence Drive; admission GMD50/£1.20), which has informative displays on the country's past, from prehistoric settlements to the military coup of 1994. If you're prepared to negotiate, a round-trip from the coastal resorts to Banjul shouldn't cost much more than GMD500 (about £12) in a green tourist taxi, and your driver will usually be happy to wait around while you see the sights.
Return via the Kachikally Crocodile Pool (www.kachikally.com; admission GMD50/£1.20) in Bakau, a sacred sight for locals (Gambians see crocodiles as a symbol of fertility), where dozens of the reptiles reside, many of which are friendly enough to be touched.

Have dinner at...
Jojo's (00220 729 5711), on Kololi's Senegambia Road. Perhaps the best of the many restaurants on this busy strip, it serves excellent steaks, pasta and locally caught fish in a pleasant outdoor setting. Entertainment is provided by a live band. Expect to pay around £40 for two, including wine.
The Avocado Restaurant at The Coconut Residence (see above), with an international menu, is also recommended.

Spend the next day...
Exploring Gambia's waterways. If you can tear yourself away from the beach, head to Denton Bridge on the road to Banjul. From here, you can sign up for a range of activities, including water sports and fishing trips. A number of boat tours, which can usually be arranged at hotels on the coast, also begin here. They typically consist of a leisurely cruise along the nearby creeks, where you can spot pelicans, herons and kingfishers while watching women in wooden pirogues picking oysters from the roots of mangroves.
Golfers should head to Fajara Golf Club (00220 449 5456), which also houses badminton, tennis and squash courts.

At all costs avoid...
Underestimating the strength of the West African sun. Use high-factor lotion and don't be fooled by the ocean breeze. The "bumsters" – local men who try to attach themselves to tourists in return for money – can be a nuisance, but are harmless. Walking on the beach at night, however, is not advised.

Iceland volcano: stranded in paradise

Oliver Smith - Telegraph.co.uk — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I, like tens of thousands of other Britons, am stranded overseas with little idea of when I might return home, thanks to volcanic activity thousands of miles away. But far from feeling anger, frustration and helplessness – I simply cannot believe my good fortune.

While horror stories continue to surface of epic overland journeys and airport slumber parties – plundering the reserves of both the great British resolve and holidaymaker’s bank balances – I remain reclined on a sun lounger in a West African paradise, and all at the expense of my tour operator.

If ever an advertisement was needed for the fully protected package holiday, surely this is it. From my sunny haven, the alternative route home for an independent traveller, or for one whose holiday company refuses to cough up compensation, would be ghastly.

I am in on holiday with The Gambia Experience (www.gambia.co.uk) in Africa’s smallest country, whose tiny, solitary international airport serves just a handful of destinations. As things currently stand, to get home I would be forced to take a 40-minute flight to the Senegalese capital, Dakar, followed by a four-and-a-half -hour flight to Madrid, from where I would be required to continue my journey by train, and/or bus and boat. Judging by the hectic scenes at train stations and ferry terminals across Europe, this schlep could take several days and would cost as much as £1,500.

The situation appears to be improving. Eruptions have eased and European airports are starting to open, much to the delight of those travellers far less fortunate than myself. But for me, and the majority of other Britons at my beachside resort, we tune into BBC World News each morning selfishly hoping to hear of further disruption and volcanic activity.

The backlog of flights could still force us to stay here for several days after UK airspace re-opens – and should our tour operator’s patience wear thin, we may have to contemplate the aforementioned odyssey. But as long as our airlines and tour operators continue to pick up the tab for meals and accommodation (and our employers remain understanding), we couldn’t be happier.

'You people cannot walk, you only move in cars'

Jason Florio - The Independent on Sunday — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A New York dinner party isn't the place to open your mouth and not follow through – no matter how much Brooklyn Lager you've drunk. Yet, after a fellow guest told my partner, Helen, and I how he had walked 500 miles across Europe on the El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, we declared that we'd been contemplating a journey for some time and a long walk sounded like just the thing.

Eight months later, we arrived in The Gambia for a 1,000km (620-mile) trek. Accompanied by three locals – Ablie "The Negotiator" Janneh, Samba "Call me Mr Leigh" Leigh, and Momadou "Arikkk!" Bah – two donkeys (Neil and Paddley, on loan from The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust), and a cart for the gear, we left the sublime comforts of the Mandina River Lodge, on a mangrove-lined tributary of the River Gambia, and headed east.

Helen and I had visited The Gambia a number of times before, but had never ventured far from its Atlantic coast. Now we were bound for Koina at the country's eastern edge – a trip akin to going from John O'Groats to Land's End. The Gambians who heard our tale, with help from our translator "The Negotiator", were aghast. "What, with those two donkeys? Impossible! The donkeys will die in two days. They cannot go that far. Anyway you are Tubaabs [Europeans], you people do not walk, you only move in cars." They would shriek with laughter, shake their heads and smile.

Yet, not only were we walking all the way to Koina, but we would be crossing the River Gambia there and walking all the way back to the country's most westerly point on the Atlantic, thereby making the first recorded circumnavigation of The Gambia by foot.

"Call me Mr Leigh" was our liaison man and up-country guide. Looking like a sub-Saharan Elma Thud, his main role was to make the formal introductions to the village chiefs (Al Kalos), who would be our nightly hosts. The ancient system of chiefs would be vital to the success of our journey, he explained. Each Gambian village has an Al Kalo, who is responsible, among other things, for the welfare of travellers. Before we set out, Mr Leigh took us to a market in Brikama where, for 240 dalasi (about £6), we bought 2kg of fat, bitter seeds called kola-nuts. These would win the hearts of the Al Kalos, he assured us.

The rains had recently subsided and the red dirt road that is the Gambia Highway was flanked by rich green grasses, tall as a man and vibrating with wildlife. We were rarely alone. Red colobus monkeys would appear on the road before us. Squadrons of egrets would jet overhead. Hooded vultures cruised the thermals, and boisterous grass-yellow butterflies made the most of the abundant dung left by cattle driven by Fula tribesmen who played soulful tunes on recorders made from plastic pipes.

Momadou Bah, our donkey handler, randomly came alive to shout "Arrrrrrik!!!" above the donkeys' ever rotating ears to move them from molasses speed to the pace of slightly runny honey. We had, observed a policeman at a checkpoint, Tubaab donkeys. "Look at them, they are so fat and proud, they should have crowns," he chuckled between sips of attayer – a sugary green tea whose preparation takes up much of the free time of the underemployed.

After 464km (288 miles) we reached Koina and crossed the river to the old Kingdom of Wuli, which, since the demise of Gambian kings, has been less romantically called URD – Upper River Division.

We had been invited to visit the village of another Mr Bah on the north bank of Wuli. A Marabout (learned man) of the Fula tribe, he cooed and clucked in joy while he stroked our hands as he shook them. As at each village we visited, we became the evening's entertainment. Children would arrive first to watch us pitch the tents, then women would bring along low wooden stools, positioning themselves for widescreen viewing while continuing to braid hair, shell peanuts and breast-feed. Village girls would bring calabash filled with milk, cous cous from the fields, and attayer tea. Our favourite dish was domoda, an oily peanut paste, cooked with dried fish and hot peppers and served with white rice. Delicious fuel.

At most villages we spent just one night, but Mr Bah had offered to show us the local hyena caves and tree-top hideouts used by shotgun-carrying sentries to protect the villagers' precious cattle from Senegalese raiders. More importantly, he had said he would read our fortunes.

Yet, you don't have to bushwhack to remote villages to revel in this country's mysterious side. Less than a day's drive from the capital, Banjul, stand the stone circles of Wassu, just one of hundreds that dot the region. The Gambia's very own Stonehenge is diminutive, but what the stones lack in size is made up for by tales of strange lights and helicopters, bringing white men who bury strange instruments and whisk away artefacts. Talk to "Stoneman", guardian of the stones and son of a chief – he'll make you a believer.

We pushed on at donkey speed towards the port of Barra on the north-west bank of the River Gambia's mouth, stopping on the way at the old slave station of Juffureh, home to the Kinte family, made famous by Alex Haley's book Roots. Karamo, the Al Kalo's son, took us by motorised pirogue to James Island, an eroding speck of land that supports the crumbling remains of a British fort. It's a serene spot, despite its dark history.

Onwards, we took our place alongside the trucks, cars and batik-adorned ladies on the Barra to Banjul ferry and joined the throng in the capital's streets, passing though a triumphal white stucco arch erected to celebrate the 1994 coup, with a sign reading "22nd July – the birth of the new Gambia".

Not far into the new Gambia, there was a commotion as people rushed to the kerb to clap and cheer. Through the veil of pollution, a careening motorcade of Toyota 4WDs tore past us. At its centre was a black stretch Hummer – with a factory-optional rear gun emplacement. The crowd leapt into the car's wake to gather the spoils tossed from its window by the 1994 coup leader, President Sheikh Professor Dr Alhaji Yahya Abdul Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh.

Then, after 909km, with just 20km to go, the cart sheered a wheel. There was no hope of fixing it, so we called in back-up in the form of the Mandina River Lodge's Land Rover. Babbacar, the driver, said that as it was getting dark we should get a lift with him. But we politely refused the offer, throwing our bags in the vehicle, and with our donkeys by our side, machetes in hand, and a chocolate bar to sustain us, cut into the darkening bush.

Eight hours later, we found we were walking in circles, crashing into trees, lost. Mr Leigh called back the rescue team. With the high-beam of the Land Rover's lights powering through the thick night, we discovered we had, in fact, only been 700 metres away from the lodge's hurricane lamp-lit bar.

Compact Facts
How to get there
The Gambia Experience (0845 330 2087; gambia.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu from £949 per person in April, based on two sharing and including return flights from Gatwick to Banjul, transfers and half-board accommodation in a Floating Lodge

Kombo Beach Hotel receives Travelife Gold Award

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Kombo Beach Hotel in The Gambia has been awarded a Travelife Gold Award for its commitment to sustainable tourism. This is an impressive accolade for the 4* hotel in the Kotu region, as it is the only hotel both in The Gambia and West Africa in general, to be presented with Travelife accreditation, as well as its pinnacle award.

The award firstly recognises the hotel’s dedication to the ‘Environment’ – Kombo Beach implemented such procedures as water saving measures and electricity reduction. Secondly, it considers the extent of the hotel’s ‘Social Responsibilities’ – Kombo Beach established three key areas to develop: social welfare, the local economy, and charities / similar organisations.

The Travelife awards were developed by the FTO (British Federation of Tour Operators), which has now merged with ABTA (The Travel Association) and ANVR (Dutch Federation of Tour Operators). Hotels can complete a self-assessment online and then request that they are visited by a qualified Travelife auditor in order to have the information verified transparently.

Marc Van Maldegem, operations manager for Kombo Beach Hotel said:
“Since the hotel changed ownership in 2002 we have been passionate about implementing environmental and social management strategies. Kombo Beach Hotel prides itself in being involved in the social, economical and environmental life of its community. Our management is based on respect for local and ethical values, for people and for living together in harmony.”

The Gambia is a popular destination with UK holidaymakers, and Kombo Beach Hotel reports that approximately 65% of its guests come from the UK. Tour operators selling Kombo Beach Hotel include The Gambia Experience, Thomas Cook, and Monarch Holidays.
For more on the Travelife awards and hotels within the Travelife Collection, please visit www.travelife.co.uk
For more on Kombo Beach Hotel and its Sustainable Tourism Summary, please visit www.kombobeachhotel.gm

Ends

ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,351 members with 5,700 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators.

ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements.

In 2008 ABTA merged with the Federation of Tour Operators [FTO], thereby cementing its role as the leading travel association and increasing benefits for both ABTA and FTO members. Both the ABTA brand, which is highly recognised by consumers, and the FTO brand, which is well known in destinations, will be retained.

As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation works to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers in the UK and EU.

The Gambia: An Easy Winter Sun Choice – Fam trip leaves Agents in no doubt

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A group of Bristol based travel agents were able to experience first hand The Gambia's leading attractions following a seven day fam trip hosted by the UK's leading specialist, The Gambia Experience. The tour op's agency sales manager, Jason Dicks accompanied the nine enthusiastic agents on the six hour flight out of Bristol International Airport, showing them how accessible the winter sun hotspot is, while providing an all-round introduction to the wide range of accommodation, its golden coastline of uncrowded sandy beaches and great variety of cultural excursions and tours.

Spending 7 nights at the five grade Sheraton Gambia hotel, now also available on an all-inclusive basis, the agents' itinerary incorporated visits to boutique hotel Coco Ocean Resort & Spa and former colonial mansion, Ngala Lodge as well as The Gambia's prestigious five grade Kairaba plus a selection of mid range and great value budget hotels. The trip also included a visit to the award winning Mandina river lodges at Makasutu Forest. This magnificent eco-retreat provided agents with a real taste of unspoilt Africa, where wildlife is plentiful and in complete harmony with the tranquil surroundings. An evening show created a magical mood, as local tribes arrived by canoe with fire lit torches and proceeded to demonstrate their energetic native dance around the camp fire - just one of the many adventure excursions, available to book through The Gambia Experience.
Other cultural excursions included; "South Gambia" - an off the beaten track adventure into Southern Gambia incorporating a river cruise and visit to a reptile farm plus "Simply Gambia" - demonstrating how the locals are trying to improve their crops and environment through various eco projects.

The action packed week did, however, allow a little time for relaxation on the uncrowded sandy beaches as well as the chance to sample the vibrant nightlife of Kololi.

Since returning, The Gambia Experience has received positive feedback from agents who felt the trip had given them more insight and increased confidence to sell the destination.

Jessica Webb - The Co-operative Travel commented:
"I have had an amazing trip and can't wait to recommend it to our customers. There is something for every taste and budget and it has really opened my eyes to another alternative to the Canaries and Egypt. The Gambia is a beautiful country and the people are so friendly proving it really is The Smiling Coast!"

Jean Byrne - Bath Travel said:
"I was surprised by how much The Gambia has to offer and its high quality hotels, beaches and restaurants."

The Gambia Experience offers regional departures from Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester during winter plus a year round programme of holidays and flights from Gatwick.

Agents interested in selling The Gambia Experience or any of the Serenity Holidays products should contact Jason on 0845 330 2066 or email trade@serenity.co.uk.

Ends

Sandele Bay Eco-Retreat Listed in Guardian Green Travel List

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Sandele Bay Eco-Retreat in The Gambia has been included in The Guardian’s Green Travel List as one of the “Small places to stay: worldwide”. The list was featured in the paper on Saturday 20th February along with 16 other lodges, camps and small hotels which have been selected as the greenest places to stay.

The Guardian’s Richard Hammond describes Sandele as:

“Winner of the 2009 Guardian and Observer Ethical Travel Award, Sandele is the vision of two Brits who have built 10 eco-friendly forest cabanas next to a three-mile sandy beach, as well as 20 guest rooms for a charity that runs environmental courses. Renewable energy pumps a water well, and the long-term plan is that, after 25 years, the land will revert to the village.”

To read the article in full visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/feb/20/guardian-green-list-2010-places-worldwide?page=all

For more information on Sandele Bay Eco- Retreat visit http://www.gambia.co.uk/Hotel/6001/51475/Sandele-Bay-Eco-Retreat.aspx

Author Philippa Gregory Remembers The Gambia

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The author Philippa Gregory, founder of Gardens for Gambia, recalls her first visit to the country nearly 20 years ago in an interview with The Sunday Times. In the interview, which appeared in last Sunday’s paper, the author talks about her experience of travelling and how she established the charity. Whilst on holiday she met a schoolmaster who wanted to dig a well in his schoolyard to supply a vegetable garden which would supply the children’s lunch. She donated £200 to the project and her charity has since built nearly 90 wells.

To read the interview visit http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article7016654.ece and to read more about Philippa Gregory and the Gardens for Gambia charity visit http://www.philippagregory.com/gardens-for-gambia/

Gambia - An Unspoiled Winter Sun Destination

Adam Moss - Nottingham Evening Post — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

IN The Gambia, it is hot, all of the time." That was the first thing our tour guide said on the PA system as our bus pulled out of Banjul airport. And he wasn't lying. The Gambia does have a rainy season, between mid-June and early October - but those are usually the hottest months. The rest of the time, the thermometer doesn't tend to drop below 24C during the day. Six hours earlier, I'd been knocking back an anti-malarial tablet on a dull and chilly morning at East Midlands Airport. Now, I was wishing I hadn't decided to travel wearing a pair of jeans.The bus was making its way along one of only two roads covered with Tarmac in the entire country.

The dusty orange landscape at the side of the highway was dotted with small buildings with corrugated-iron roofs and tables with parasols outside. These buildings could have been either people's homes or shops - it was difficult to tell. This short journey served to hammer home the message that The Gambia is still very much a developing country.

So you'd perhaps expect the accommodation for a tourist who heads off to this winter sun destination to be pretty basic too. Wrong.
We were staying at the Coco Ocean, which might sound like something out of a Barry Manilow song, but it's actually a luxury resort and spa. Its pristine white buildings elegantly rise out of the golden beach and are covered with Moroccan-style domes and arches.

And in stark contrast to the world outside, it has every mod con you could ever want: pools, spa, gym, air-con, wi-fi and a ridiculous amount of space considering it only has 59 rooms. And as the hotel's general manager pointed out, if you don't find its marble floors, big suites, huge beds and fresh food (often grown on site) luxurious enough, the staff will bend over backwards to make sure you're every whim is tended to.

The Coco Ocean is one of the top-end places to stay, but from what I saw, regardless of which hotel you choose, you're hardly likely to be roughing it. And with such plush surroundings, it'd be easy for any visitor to The Gambia to simply chill out by the pool and enjoy the sunshine.

But that would be a mistake; when you venture outside, the personality of the country really comes to life. About a third of the population live below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. But the nuts and the fruit and fish are plentiful, so no one goes hungry. Gambians pride themselves on the place's reputation as "the smiling coast". Every tourist will almost certainly be approached at some point during their stay by a "bumster", who will try to get a few Dalasi (the native currency) out of them.

But the bumsters in the Gambia just seem to have a more pleasant demeanour than their counterparts across the world. Even after they'd accepted the fact I wouldn't be parting with any cash, the bumsters I met were still keen to have a friendly chat.

The Gambia is a country of such stark contrasts that it can almost make your head spin. And I have to say, it's one of the most remarkable places I've ever been to.
Anyone who wants to sample a slice of Gambian life can book one of the following excursions through West African Tours:
Makasutu Culture Forest: Makasutu is a 1,000-acre eco-tourism centre. During our visit, we went on a walk through the forest, took a canoe ride in the mangroves and came face-to-face with the resident baboons. Visitors can also stay at one of the floating lodges.

Visit to a local school: The second we stepped off the bus, we were virtually mobbed by joyously happy schoolchildren who were enormously over-excited at the prospect of visitors. The school buildings at Wellingara Lower Basic School in Kombo are incredibly basic by English standards, the classroom walls need a lick of paint and have wire mesh where the windows should be. This was one of the most rewarding parts of my trip and it was a privilege to watch a lesson and see how keen the children were to learn.

Visit to a market and Ida's cooking experience: The sights, sounds and smells of Tanji market need to be experienced first-hand to truly be believed. Boats only a short distance out to sea net the fish, which are then expertly gutted and de-scaled by the people on the crowded beach, before they are sold. We visited with Ida Njie (pictured below) , who gave up a career in tourism to run a Gambian cooking experience at her home in Brufut.

We travelled with The Gambia Experience, the UK's only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia. Prices from £949 per person based on seven nights bed & breakfast in a junior suite and £1,289 per person for seven nights bed & breakfast in a beach club villa. Prices include return flights, in-flight meals, hotel transfers, Government tourist tax and airport taxes. Flights available from Birmingham, Manchester and Gatwick.
Reservations tel: 0845 330 2087. Visit www.gambia.co.uk for details.

Gambia Celebrates Independence Day

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

On 18th February The Gambia will celebrate its 45th Independence Day. The Gambia gained independence from Britain in 1965 after 300 years of colonial rule. The day is a national holiday in The Gambia and across the world Gambians will be marking the occasion.

As part of this year’s celebrations, the Porcupines basketball team of Bakau is to host a basketball tournament at the Independence Stadium in Bakau featuring the Senegalese All Stars. The tournament will be held between 5th and 15th February 2010 and will feature six teams: Serrekunda East, Wallindan, Sport House, YMCA, LK Boys and the hosts Porcupines. Players from the six teams will be selected for The Gambia All Star team which will play against the Senegalese All Star Team during the Independence Day celebrations.

Coco Was My Cup of Tea

Jackie Butler - The Plymouth Herald — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

MRS Ida Cham Njai strolled through the market, head held high, gently weaving through the chattering crowds towards the waterfront, her proud and striking red-clad figure standing out against the mass of ramshackle wooden stalls and patchwork of huts to either side of the dusty pathway. I followed close behind, feeling self-conscious in my borrowed lime green apparel, a traditional Gambian three-piece of floor-length wrap skirt, with matching overdress and a simple scarf, which Ida had conjured into an elaborate headdress to rival her own. But in the morning heat, already nudging 30C, if not cool, I was far more comfortable than my Western clothes would have allowed.
Trotting down a gentle slope, suddenly the scene opened out on to Tanji beach and the most extraordinary assault to the senses I have ever experienced. There was an overwhelming odour of fish, enough to catch in the throat at first; on the crowded sands scores of women crouched over buckets wielding big, sharp knives, deftly removing heads and guts from the day’s catch and throwing the waste towards the water’s edge, where seagulls swooped for an easy breakfast.
A little way out at sea, teams of fishermen lolled lazily on a dozen or more long, open boats, their work done for the day; children no older than seven or eight carried big round trays of fruit or bread on their heads, urging us to buy, while others hassled for money or gifts; men old and young stand around smoking cigarettes.
At a cloth-spread table staffed by a row of laughing, gossiping assistants, Ida poked and prodded some fierce-looking fishy specimens and prompted me to hand over a couple of crumpled Dalasi banknotes. With some of our lunch in the bag, we moved back into the market throng to select vegetables, rice and spices from assorted sellers. A woman with a plump sleeping baby bound tightly to her back approached, pointing at me, smiling and saying something in her native Mandinka. The two women laughed. “What did she say?” I asked. “She says you look very beautiful and asked if you were wife number two,” Ida replied, laughing, explaining that men in this chiefly Muslim country were allowed up to four spouses. The young mother was making a gentle joke. So, this was shopping, Gambian style – an honest slice of everyday life in this tiny West African country. With no refrigerator in the average home many housewives go through this ritual twice a day. It made a striking, but welcome, contrast to the addictive splendour of the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa a short drive away, where I could have remained indefinitely cocooned in the most divine vacation luxury. I love all that five-star treatment, of course, but I also get immense pleasure from engaging with the real people of the places I visit. In The Gambia this is not only possible, but it’s a major part of their sustainable tourism strategy and it’s helping to keep threatened traditions and customs alive.
The Yabouy home cooking day run by Ida is an excellent example. A regular excursion, run by West African Tours and easily bookable as part of a Gambia Experience holiday, it offers tourists a chance to shop, cook and eat in traditional style. The following day my party set off bright and early, climbing up a ladder into the back a huge four-wheel drive lorry. We trundled down the dusty tracks that pass for roads in The Gambia – only the two major routes are Tarmac – to catch some snapshots of town and country life in the company of our most charming and chatty tour guide, football fanatic Mucki.
A former British colony where English is the main language alongside local dialects, The Gambia is not only small – half the size of Wales – but it’s incredibly flat. As we drove, people and buildings emerged abruptly from either side and it was impossible to anticipate what was coming up ahead. We negotiated the low-rise shanty metropolis of Serrekunda, a sea of tatty shopfronts and single-room business premises, the noisy streets simply swarming with people. Nothing could have prepared us for the enthusiastic reception waiting at one of the local schools where tourists regularly call in to look around and give donations of greatly appreciated pens, pencils and books.
Every child, immaculately turned out in green uniforms, wanted to say hello and shake our hands, and in the sparsely furnished, electricity-free classroom they proudly demonstrated their immaculate English pronunciation as the teacher led them through their “Jollyphonics” chanting routines.
Back on the lorry and deeper into the unknown, lofty vegetation sweeping past our ears, Mucki pointed out the plethora of colourful birds, naming each one carefully and accurately, throwing in a smattering of football-themed humour. “Red-beaked hornbill: Gambia 2, England, nil.” Eventually we emerged onto a deserted seafront where a lone cafe overlooked an idyllic beach. We quenched our thirst with fizzy pop and selected a light lunch from a laden hot and cold buffet before hopping across the baking sand and plunging neck-deep into the balmy waves for a leisurely swim. I dried off dozing and swinging gently in a string hammock. Total bliss.
We drove some of the way back along the smooth wet sand, calling in to check out some of the different kinds of hotels The Gambia Experience packages offer, including the smart, high class Western style Sheraton Gambia and the exclusive and very private boutique chic of ocean-front Ngala. Earlier in the wek we’d enjoyed dinner at the mid-range Kombo Beach Hotel in the Kotu district, where a more British ambience prevails.
That night, we dined at JoJo’s bistro and grill, known for its fish and steaks, in the busy and popular Kololi resort, home of the Strip, where there are restaurants of all nationalities, except Gambian, loads of bars and a couple of clubs. But for me nothing could exceed the appeal of the top class Moroccan-style Coco Ocean and Spa at Bijilo, where I luxuriated in my spacious single storey studio-style Beach Club Villa, which boasted a furnished outdoor terrace as big as its bed-sitting room and bathroom suite. Stroll along the quiet bougainvillea dotted pathways, and there were gorgeous pools, an oasis of calm in the spa where they offer soothing massages and treatments. Foodwise, breakfast was included in the package, and I enjoyed a fabulous a la carte dinner in their classy Safran restaurant. I guess I’m a five-star girl deep down, and I’d go back for more tomorrow. If you’re looking for winter sun, sea and sand, but with a slice of authentic local flavour, then The Gambia is an ideal choice for a variety of budgets; it’s only a six-hour flight from theUKand, being in the same time zone, there’s no jet lag to worry about. Over the winter – from November to April – long hours of dry sunny weather are guaranteed, with comfortable temperatures peaking at around 32C. You are wise to have some precautionary jabs, take malaria tablets (it’s in an active zone) and make sure you spray yourself with insect repellent and slap on high factor sunscreen regularly.

■ The Bradt Guide to The Gambia (£13.99) is packed with excellent travel advice and offers a comprehensive guide to the whole of The Gambia.

■ Next week I’ll be writing about my visit to The Gambia’s Makasutu Culture Forest and to schools in the Ballabu Conservation Project area, where they are working to preserve food growing traditions with help from the Eden Project’s Gardens For Life educational.

JACKIE Butler travelled with The Gambia Experience, the UK’s only specialist tour operator to The Gambia and the only one to
offer flights from Bristol International Airport. The last Bristol departure for this winter season is on February 19.

■ Jackie stayed at the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa. Prices are from £988 per person based on seven nights bed and breakfast in a junior suite and £1,324 per person for seven nights bed and breakfast in a Beach Club villa. Prices include return flights from Bristol, in-flight meals, hotel transfers, Government tourist tax and airport taxes.The above prices apply to departures up until the end of January 2010.

■ The following late offers are currently available departing from Bristol:
Two grade hotel allocated on arrival (AOA): seven nights – £249, departing January 29 and £349, departing February 5.
Kairaba Beach Hotel (5 grade): seven nights departing January 29 and February 5 –£829 (deluxe room), representing a saving of up to £142 per person.
Sheraton Gambia (5 grade): seven nights departing January 29 – £699, representing a saving of up to £204 per person.
The above prices are based on bed and breakfast and include return Bristol to Banjul flight, in flight meals, airport taxes,
government tourist tax and hotel transfers.
The company’s Gatwick flights operate year round; Birmingham and Manchester flights operate until April.

● For all bookings and further information call reservations on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk.

Sowing Seeds For A Positive Future

Jackie Butler - Western Morning News — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

THERE’S a little corner of the Eden Project’s rainforest biome that is forever Gambia. It’s a simple dirt plot shaded beneath palms and banana trees, where cooking pots are lined up ready to rustle up a tasty domada stew, and clean washing is draped to dry on the wobbly wooden fence. It’s a scene which echoes thousands of extended family compounds in rural areas of the tiny West African country, and its authenticity is down to a rather special man named Malang DK Jambang. In his colourful flowing robes, he’s a striking, yet humble character, a great ambassador for his roots who holds an unshakeable passion and a steely determination to preserve tradition, alleviate poverty and encourage sustainable living in his local community.

His fortnight-long trip to Cornwall from Serrekunda, near the coast in The Gambia, 18 months ago cemented a unique bond between Cornwall’s giant greenhouses and a celebrated eco-tourism site and 1,000-acre reserve known as the Makasutu Culture Forest, and the surrounding 85 sq km Ballabu Conservation Area, encompassing 14 villages, west of the capital Banjul.

Malang’s fact-finding and knowledge-sharing visit has not only given Eden visitors a flavour of his homeland, it forged an on-going friendship between the Gambian wildlife expert and the Project’s horticulture director, Don Murray – and other key Eden staff members – and it resulted in the five schools in the Ballabu joining Eden’s global Gardens for Life project. An initiative which links 20,000 pupils in the UK – including many in the Westcountry – Africa, India and the USA, it encourages them to create gardens, grow food and tell each other about their experiences via new technology and good old-fashioned “snail mail”.

For Western children and teachers, Gardens for Life represents a terrific learning opportunity; in The Gambia its significance is more a case of future survival. A former British colony, it’s now a developing African country with growing aspirations – clearly illustrated by the ubiquitous presence of mobile phones but the evident dearth of cash and work, outside of the tourism industry.

Malang works long hours, with no regular pay and limited practical resources, as chief executive of the Makasutu Wildlife Trust charity which was set up – initially with some grant aid – to protect the wildlife and wild habitats of The Gambia through biodiversity and conservation and the wholehearted involvement of the local community and its elders.
Malang, 45, is a walking encyclopaedia about the wildlife in his homeland – in fact he’s written as yet unpublished books on the country’s incredible wealth of birds and butterflies, and trains the Gambian guides who accompany tourists on walking excursions through the forest and by canoe upriver. A father of five children aged from nine to 17, and a traditional healer, he is deeply concerned for their future and worries that if communities lose their ability to sustain themselves by rejecting customs and survival
strategies, there will be no going back.

The Gambia is a magical, colourful country awash with goodwill, but nothing gets done in a hurry here. However, with Malang’s advice and encouragement, fledgling school plots are now beginning to emerge. On a recent holiday trip with the Gambia Experience I was privileged to join him on an inspiring – and bumpy – journey through the bush to two of the schools involved. “When I was at school our lunch was made with the food we grew ourselves, but that custom has mostly disappeared now,” Malang said. “Children often walk long distances to get to school. They bring money to buy food at school, but if their families have no money they won’t eat all day.” As we stepped out of the car at Santayalla Nursery School at Kubuneh village in the heat of the morning sun, I was mobbed by a sea of little children in smart brown uniforms, all wanting to shake my hand and ask my name. The headmaster called them to sit on little plastic chairs in a massive circle, in the dappled shade of the biggest mahogany tree I’ve ever seen, for a singsong recital of British nursery rhymes Baa Baa Black Sheep and I See the Moon in our honour. Malang’s short speech about incorporating local community knowledge to promote food security went a little over the heads of the three- to nine-year-olds, but when asked which food they would like to grow they were unanimous in their excited reply: “Bananas!”

In a new 30m by 1m garden plot, marked out by basic metal fencing and wooden posts – bought with donations from the Friends of Eden back in Cornwall – a row of baby banana trees rose proudly from the dry and dusty ground, the first evidence of their endeavours, which are hampered from the start by the lack of basic facilities. In the UK we can turn on a tap to get as much water as our plants need to thrive. At Santayalla it must be drawn in buckets from a nearby well, which is far too deep and dangerous for the children to go near. On their long shopping list of essentials are a pump, tap and hosepipe. There are no gardening tools either; these and more plants
and seeds to grow garden egg (aubergine), potato, okra, onion and hot peppers will be acquired when funds allow.

Over at Makumbaya village Lower Basic School, a couple of miles away down many more potholed tracks, the enthusiastic seven to 13-year-olds of the environmental club and their garden master, Bakary Jambang, were a little further advanced in their endeavours. Here they make their own compost using earth, sand, leaves and animal manure – an age-old process Malang has helped to capture as a Powerpoint presentation to share with Gardens for Life schools in the UK via Eden living networks manager Rob Lowe.
Their small banana plantation was well established and there were beds taking shape for more crops. They were immensely proud of their new hosepipe, but it wasn’t long enough to stretch from the standpipe to the vegetable beds, and they had no watering cans.

It’s early days for Gardens for Life in The Gambia and it’s going to need a reliable influx of money to ensure that Malang can keep it running and start to really make a difference. There are already some fundraising initiatives in place through the Eden Project to provide support. Acclaimed photojournalist Jason Florio and his partner Helen Jones recently returned from a sponsored trek on foot from Makasutu through the Gambian to highlight and benefit the project, and Don Murray is planning to visit with a group from Friends of Eden this autumn.

● You can help by making a donation or you can get more involved through the Friends of Eden. Cheques made payable to the Eden Trust can be sent to Nicola Hawkins, Gardens for Life Gambia Appeal, Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall PL24 2SG with the following reference on the back of the cheque: GFLGAMBIA.Or you can donate online at www.edenproject.com/our-work/people/ gardens-for-life/gardens-for-life-in-the-gambia. And don’t forget to visit The Gambia corner when you visit the rainforest biome.

Makasutu upstaged Muse
MAKASUTU’S link to the Eden Project dates back to the night Devon rock giants Muse performed their Eden Session in summer 2006. On the band’s guest list that evening, as friends of one of the stage crew, were British uncle and nephew adventurers James English and Lawrence Williams. They had acquired the swamp and bush forest known as Makasutu (or Big Forest) in the heart of the Gambian countryside alongside a beautiful bolon (meaning river tributary in the local Mandinka dialect). When they discovered the area it was being destroyed by tree-felling and over-farming; while they had persuaded the local people to halt the decline of the area, they were struggling to know how to proceed. On their way down to watch the show, they started chatting to a member of staff about their little piece of The Gambia and got so involved that they never saw the gig. Keen to discover more, Eden horticulture director Don Murray visited Makasutu, met Malang, and the connection blossomed. In harmony with their conservation aims – and for essential income – Lawrence and James operate a small, upmarket tourist resort in the forest where visitors can stay in beautiful floating lodges on the bolong waters. They employ more than 100 local people as drivers, chefs, managers and guides; they host regular cultural evenings with traditional music and dancing, and
encourage tourists to support local craftspeople and fortune tellers.

● The Gambia Experience, with flights out of Bristol in our winter months, is the only UK tour operator booking accommodation at Makasutu. For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/mandina.